Promises, Promises
by SpectraVondergeist
Summary: Callie and Brandon realize the promise they made to each other has changed, after Callie is forced to live with the Quinns and for the first time, nothing stands in their way. Meanwhile, Callie tries to stay connected to the family she loves, while making heartbreaking discoveries about the family she never knew. (Brallie. Trigger warning: mentions of suicide and self-harm)
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: I've been testing the waters with my writing lately, but Brallie will always be where my heart lays, and I'm anxious to write another story about them. For those of you who have been reading _Mama Tiger_, don't worry... I'll be updating it soon, but for now, I hope everyone enjoys this story!**

Chapter 1.

"You know you have to go, right?" Stef tiredly asked, sitting down on the stairs next to Callie. "That it's out of our control?"

"Yeah," she nodded, looking down into her lap. "I know."

Stef laid her head on Callie's shoulder, her eyes stinging. "His heart's in the right place, honey. He thinks he's doing the right thing."

"What's going to happen to us?" Callie asked, shakily. "To our family, I mean. Me and Jude."

Raising her head, Stef pulled Callie closer. "Well, you're going to have to go live with the Quinns for now." It was better to be honest. There was no way to sugarcoat what was happening. "Robert has powerhouse attorneys, and he's within his rights. As for Jude, I wouldn't be at all surprised if he's trying to find a way to take him from us, too. As for our family... no matter what happens, you will always be our baby, Callie. We will always love you, and think of you as our own. Our love goes with you." She leaned in and pressed a tender kiss to her daughter's temple, dreading to think about what she'd do once her sweet little girl was gone.

"I'm gonna miss everyone so much," Callie sniffled, still not allowing herself the vulnerability of tears. "Especially you. Will I ever get to see you guys?"

"He can't stop you from seeing us," Stef promised. "Not while Jude is still living here. We'll miss you terribly, baby. But this is your home, and you're always welcome."

Callie nodded, still not feeling completely reassured. "I think I'm gonna go to bed now."

"Okay," said Stef. "Do you want me to tuck you in?"

"Nah, that's okay," she sighed. "I'm gonna go check on Jude. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, honey," Stef replied. "I love you."

"I love you too," said Callie, as she turned up the stairs to her brother's room. When she opened the door, Jude was standing there, holding his pillow.

"I was just..." he stammered. "Can I sleep in your bed tonight?"

She gave him a sad smile. "Sure, baby. I would love that."

Jude followed her to her room. It would be her last night in her room; it hurt just thinking about it, but she couldn't avoid it. Her meager belongings were already packed, in several boxes on the floor. She crawled in bed and covered herself up; Mariana was already asleep.

The covers rustled as Jude climbed into bed beside her, tucking himself in the crook of her arm. "Listen, Callie," he whispered. Don't be too mad at Sophia, okay?"

"She ruined our life," she reminded him. "I don't know if I can forgive her right now. If it wasn't for her, I'd be getting adopted."

"I kind of feel sorry for her, though," her brother went on. "I mean, she tried to kill herself. She had to go the hospital. She must have been really sad." When his sister didn't answer, he continued. "I just remember how lonely I was when you went to juvie. It's not fun being alone."

Callie stroked her brother's soft hair, thoughtfully. "You really are part unicorn, aren't you?"

"I always thought, if you and I had lots of money and a real house, we'd be happy," Jude mussed. "But I guess money really doesn't buy happiness."

"We had something better than money," Callie told him. "We had each other." She blinked back the tears that filled her eyes. She couldn't stop them anymore, and they flowed down her cheeks shamelessly.

"I love you, Callie," Jude said softly. He gave her a light kiss on the cheek. "I'm going to miss you so much."

"I love you too, buddy," she whispered, looking up at the ceiling. Shadows cast by the tree branches outside the window swayed in the Spring breeze. Laying there, she tried to soak in every detail of her home, every sound; Mariana's snoring, Stef and Lena's muffled voices as they talked behind closed doors, and Brandon banging on his keyboard in the next room. Slowly, the comforting sounds of the house lulled her to sleep.

* * *

If Callie was going to the Quinns' the next morning, it was going to be on her terms; rather than letting Robert pick her up, she decided she wanted Stef, Lena, and Jude to take her there. She dawdled over her breakfast, eating one piece of cereal at a time while Stef and Lena shared worried looks, half wishing she would just hurry along instead of prolonging the inevitable. As much as they all wanted to soak in every last minute together, it was almost torturous.

Brandon and Jesus were taking Callie's things out to the car and loading them in the trunk. Once she was finally done eating, she rinsed her bowl and wandered outside. Brandon looked up when he saw her coming down the steps, his face shadowed by the morning sunlight. She approached him slowly and waved awkwardly. "Hey."

"Hey," he said softly, the shadows darkening the circles under his eyes; he looked like he hadn't slept in days. "So, you're really leaving?"

"I have to," she sighed. "I have no choice. Robert will have the police here if I don't go. It's not worth getting Stef and Lena in trouble."

"The cops arresting a cop," he smirked, amused by the irony.

"I'm glad you think this is funny," she said, rolling her eyes.

"Not funny like, you know... _funny_," he apologized. "It's just crazy." He sighed, defeated. "I'm sorry, Callie."

"It's okay," she sighed. Shyly, she reached out to hug him. "So, it's really over now, isn't it? I'm not getting adopted by your moms."

"Something could change," he offered. "You never know."

"Yeah," she sighed. "In a fairytale." She gave him an apologetic look, not meaning to sound so sarcastic. "It would be nice, but I don't think it's gonna happen. It's time to stop fooling myself."

Brandon's shoulders slumped, and he stepped forward, taking her into a hug. They didn't speak, didn't need words. At that moment, all they needed was each other, and the gentle understanding they shared.

"I put new strings in your guitar," Brandon finally told her, his voice startling her. "And I tuned it for you. It's in the car."

"Thank you," she nodded, biting her lip. "That means a lot to me."

"You mean a lot to _me_," Brandon smiled. He titled his head and gave her a shy peck on the lips before walking away.

* * *

Less than an hour later, they stood on the Quinns' doorstep. Stef placed her hands on Callie's shoulders protectively, gripping them tight. "Take good care of our baby, Robert. She's a special girl, and we love her very much."

Robert nodded, a hint of regret in his light colored eyes. "I will. You have my word."

_Like we had your word when you promised to sign the papers_, Callie bitterly thought to herself.

"We'll be happy to pick her up any time," Stef went on. She leaned in to Callie. "We're still on for the annual Adams-Foster camping trip, aren't we?"

"Of course," Callie nodded, glancing over at her father for a moment. "I wouldn't miss it for anything."

"We'll miss you, honey," Stef sighed. She took Callie's face between her hands, looking her in the eye. "I don't want you to close off that beautiful heart of yours again, okay? Remember... love is like jello. There's always room for more." She winked tearfully, then kissed her forehead. "I love you, mama loves you. We always will."

"I love you too," said Callie, throwing herself in Stef's, then Lena's arms. "You'll always be my real family. Nothing can change that."

"Good luck, sweetheart," Lena breathed. "We'll be thinking about you. Never forget that. And you can always call if you need us."

"I know," she nodded, as Lena pressed a kiss to her cheek. "I love you."

Lena smiled softly. "I love you too, baby."

Lastly, Callie turned to Jude, and pulled him into a hug. "I'll see you soon, buddy."

Jude was in tears, hardly able to speak. "You've been the best sister anyone can have."

She squeezed him harder as he collapsed against her. "I'll still be your sister, Jude. We've been apart before. Nothing can come between us." She kissed him over and over. "I love you, baby. I'll always be there for you."

"I love you, Callie," he whispered.

"I think it's time for us to go, sweets," Stef finally said, touching Jude's shoulder. Her mascara had washed away into black streaks on her face. She gave Callie a reassuring look. "Bye, angel. Good luck."

"Bye," said Callie softly. She watched her family get into the car, and listened to the engine start up. Then they were pulling down the long driveway. She and Jude waved to each other as the distance between them widened. Then in a moment of panic, she ran after their car.

"Wait! No, wait!" she called, shaking. But they were too far away to hear her now. She waved one last time, feebly, knowing they couldn't see her. Then, she turned back to the house. As she got closer, she saw, from the corner of her eyes, the flutter of a curtain. She looked up just in time to see Sophia's pale face, watching her from the window.

**To Be Continued**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2.**

"I'll show you to your room," said Robert, guiding Callie into the house. "That way you can get settled and everything."

"I just want to go home," she sighed under her breath, swiping another tear away.

"I know," Robert replied with a deep sigh. He reached for her shoulder and she backed away, as if she expected him to strike her. He pulled his hand away. "I'm not going to hurt you, honey. I'd never hurt you."

"You're already hurting me," she told him, looking down. Sophia ripping up the abandonment papers, Robert telling her he couldn't sign them again, and then threatening Stef and Lena with the police all seemed like some kind of elaborate cosmic joke until then. But now that she was standing in the Quinn home, it was starting to seem all to real.

"I just did what I had to do," he told her, in his soft voice. "You're my daughter, Callie. I love you, and I deserve the chance to have a relationship with you. I hope, eventually, you'll be able to see that."

"Why do you even want anything to do with me?" she asked. "It's all my fault Sophia slit her wrists. Shouldn't you hate me?"

Robert looked up at the ceiling; his younger daughter was resting in her room, directly above them. "What Sophia did was by no means your fault, Callie. She has some other issues we weren't aware of."

"Where is she anyway?" Callie wondered, looking around. The house was silent.

"She's in her room, taking a nap. She's still on the mend, and her medications make her a little tired." He turned back toward the living room. "Speaking of which, let me take you to your room."

Callie followed him up the grand staircase and down the hall, to a closed door. He opened it and let her in. "I hope you like it," he said, waving his hand. "It was sn extra guest room, but we had it redecorated to better suit a girl your age."

Callie took in the room slowly. It was spacious, more like a suite, really. The walls were a breezy shade of light green and the woodwork was painted crisp white. The rest of the room was decorated with whitewashed furniture. A small chandelier hung in the center of the ceiling. It was all a little overdone, but it was pretty. She would have been thrilled to have such a large room to herself if it wasn't in the Quinn house. Right then, Mariana's crowded, messy, cluttered bedroom was her dream room.

"Stef and Lena told me green is your favorite color," Robert told her. "And that you take beautiful photos. If there are any special ones you want to hang up in here, we'll get them framed."

"You can't my love, you know," she said, just loud enough for him to hear.

"I know, Callie," he sighed. "I just wanted you to have a place to call your own." He crossed the room and opened another door. "This is the bathroom you'll share with Sophia. It connects both your bedrooms."

Nodding, but silent, Callie carried her duffel bag to the bed, and set it on the green and rose quilt. She turned, and paused when a picture frame on the bedside table caught her eye. She picked it up, her hands shaking. The photo inside was of her mother; one of the ones Robert had shown her on the yacht when they went sailing.

"Is that okay?" Robert asked, noticing her staring at the picture. "I thought you might like, you know, having something near to remember her by." He smiled, looking down over her shoulder. "She was so beautiful, Callie. Inside and out. But of course, you already know that." He gently patted her shoulder. "Colleen was the love of my life."

"And now Jill is," Callie glumly surmised.

"Well," Robert hesitated. "I guess you could say that." He sat down beside his daughter. "Every time I look at you, I see your mother. I have a few other things of hers. Just some pictures and letters. I believe they're in the attic, but when I find them, I'd like you to have them."

"You'd just give them to me?" she asked, surprised.

"She'd want you to have them," he assured her. "I have my memories of her, and that's enough."

"If you loved her so much then why did you leave her?" Callie suddenly blurted out. She shrunk back when Robert gave her a hurt look.

"You have to understand that I've regretted it every day," he began, but he was interrupted by Jill's voice traveling up the stairs. "We'll talk about it another time," he promised. "But please don't mention it around Jill, honey. It might upset her." He brushed her hair back from her forehead lovingly.

"I won't," Callie sighed.

Jill looked into the room just then. "Oh. Hello, Callie. I didn't realize you were here yet, or I would have gotten home sooner to greet you." There was an iciness to her voice that indicated she wasn't quite as enthusiastic about inviting her step-daughter into their home as her husband was.

"It's okay," she shrugged.

"Yes, well, lunch is at twelve-thirty," Jill told her, before walking away on clicking high heels.

* * *

That night, Callie lay in bed, tears streaming down her cheeks as she reflected on the day. She was an expert at crying silently; she'd cried herself to sleep many nights, and no one ever knew. At first, it was in the old foster homes, so she wouldn't frighten Jude when she was scared or hungry at night. Then, it was because she was too embarrassed to cry out loud. The only person she'd ever truly broke down in front of was Stef. She wished Stef were there right now, to hug her, and tell her that she was safe and loved.

On her nightstand, the lamp glowed. She'd left it on so the big, unfamiliar room wouldn't seem so dark. The soft yellow light shone above her mother's photo, as if Colleen were watching over her. She wondered what her mother would think about what Robert had done. Would she want her to be with him, or the Fosters? She was certain her mother wouldn't want her and Jude separated. Most likely, if Jude hadn't been adopted by Stef and Lena already, Robert would have adopted him too. In the back of her mind, she wished her little brother's adoption had been denied also, even though she knew it was selfish. But at least they'd be together.

Next to the photo, her phone sat. She picked it up, and typed a quick text: **Goodnight. I miss you.**

Stef texted her back a few moments later: **I miss you too, baby girl. Are you OK?**

She pondered the question before replying: **I guess so. Kiss Jude goodnight for me?**

She smiled when she got an answer: **Already done. I love you, sweets.**

**I love you too. Bye. **She sent that one last text to Stef**. **Then, drying her tears, she glanced over at her guitar standing in the corner, and Brandon came into her thoughts. With all that had happened that day, she'd almost forgotten about him. Almost. He kissed her. It was just a tiny kiss. A peck, really. But when their lips connected, the spark was there. She wasn't the type to sit around and obsess about a kiss from a boy all day, like Mariana, but she couldn't help but wonder what it meant. Was it just a harmless goodbye kiss, or more? It felt more like a hello than a goodbye.

On impulse, she pulled up his number and punched out a message to him: **Goodnight.**

It took a few minutes before he answered: **Hey... sorry about earlier.**

**Sorry about what?**

**Kissing you**, he replied.

She frowned, feeling even more confused. **You don't have to apologize. I liked it. It was nice.**

She held her breath, waiting for him to respond: **Then I take I back my sorry ;). P.S., I liked it too.**

**I really miss you.**

**I miss you too. Gotta finish my homework. Talk tomorrow?**

**Definitely**, she replied.

After she was done texting Brandon, she set her phone aside, still trying to sort out her feelings about the kiss. It was a nice distraction from everything else that was wrong in her world. Her thoughts were interrupted, though, by the sound of arguing from down the hall. It was muffled, but she could tell it was Jill and Robert. She strained her ears, trying to make out what they were saying. She thought she heard her name, and Sophia's too, but she couldn't be sure. She jumped when, several minutes later, she heard a door slam. Then there were heavy footsteps descending down the hall. She knew it was Robert, and that he was going to sleep in the guest room that night.

Suddenly thirsty, and lonelier than ever, Callie rolled out of bed and went into the bathroom. When she'd snooped through the drawers and cabinets earlier, she noticed there were no razors, scissors, or medications stored in them, most likely because of Sophia. Sophia was different than she used to be; pale, withdrawn, quiet. She no longer asked question after nosy question, or said stupid things to try to impress Callie. Where she was once taken aback by her younger half-sister's chattiness, it was her silence that made her uncomfortable now.

She filled a paper cup with water, and sipped it slowly. Standing there, she heard a soft sound, like a whimper. It was coming from Sophia's room. The bathroom door on her side was ajar, so Callie looked inside. In the dim light, she saw Sophia in her bed. The young girl was laying on her side, facing away from the bathroom door, but by the way her small body shook, it was easy to tell she was sobbing.

For a moment, Callie felt a pang of sadness. She'd liked Sophia once. And the girl was barely older than Jude, just a kid. If it were him crying like that, she would go to him, comfort him, but she couldn't get herself to move, as if she were frozen in place. Sophia glanced back just then to look at her. Her tears glistened on her cheeks. She gave Callie a longing look, then turned away. Not sure what to do, Callie went back to bed.

**To Be Continued- I know the Brallie action is going slowly, but there will be more in the next chapter!**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3.

"Jude, love," said Stef, looking into her sons' room. "Can I come in?"

Jude looked up and nodded sullenly. "Yeah."

Sitting down on the edge of the bed, Stef swept back Jude's hair, gazing into his dark eyes, so full of sadness. "Callie just texted me," she told him.

"Is she okay?" he asked.

She nodded. "It was hard to tell from the texts, but I think so. Mostly, she's just missing us. Especially you."

"I miss her too," Jude sighed. "I can't sleep knowing she's gone. It's not the same without her." He looked down toward his feet, then back up to Stef. "This was supposed to be our forever home. Both of us."

"I know, baby," Stef nodded, her heart aching for her little boy. "We all miss her. But you don't worry. Mama and I are still looking for ways to get her back." It was true, they were, but it didn't mean they'd find one. They had already exhausted so many options, to no avail. "But she's still a part of our family," she reminded her son. And I know I already kissed you goodnight tonight, but Callie sent me a message asking me to give you one for her. That okay?"

"Yeah," he replied. "I'd like that." He sat up and held his arms out.

Smiling a little, Stef leaned down and wrapped him in a hug, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "I love you, sweet boy."

"I love you too, mom," he said, still holding on.

"I bet Mariana's feeling a little lonely tonight too," Stef offered.. As much as her daughter had complained about sharing her room at first, she knew Mariana really loved having a sister, and was probably lost without Callie, just as Jude was. "I bet if you asked, she wouldn't mind if you slept in Callie's bed tonight. Would that make you feel a little better?"

"Maybe," he shrugged.

Stef patted his shoulder. "Go ahead and ask her, sweetheart."

Nodding Jude, crawled out of bed, and Stef followed him, parting ways when she reached her own room. When she made it to bed, where Lena was resting, her cheeks were already streaked with tears. She climbed under the covers and laid down heavily.

Lena turned to her, her face downcast. "Oh, honey. Don't cry." She took Stef in her arms, rubbing her back and kissing her.

"I want my baby," Stef wept, reaching for a tissue and dabbing at her eyes. "It hurts so much. I miss our little girl."

"I miss her too," Lena nodded, now in tears herself. "I miss her too.

"And I feel like such a hypocrite," Stef sobbed, balling the tissue in her hand. "Because as much as I hate Robert for taking her, I know I'd do the same thing in his place."

* * *

The next morning, a Sunday, Callie woke up early, a little confused. The room was too bright, morning light bouncing off the green walls. There were no dappled shadows on the ceiling from the leaves outside the window. Then, she remembered that she wasn't home anymore. Glum, she climbed out of bed, and went to the window. It felt strange with no discarded clothes and shoes to trip over. She pressed her face to the sparkling glass. Her new windows overlooked the courtyard, and part of a green lawn. A young man was outside trimming the hedges, presumably the gardener.

Yawning, she went into the bathroom. Just as she shut the door behind her, Sophia's door swung open, and her sister stood, regarding her cautiously.

"Oh. I'm sorry," Callie apologized. "I didn't mean to..."

"It's okay," Sophia replied, smiling a little. "I mean, it's your bathroom too." She took her toothbrush from a cup on the sink, and as she did so, Callie couldn't help but stare at the fresh pink scars on the insides of her wrists. This was the room where she'd done it- tried to take her own life.

"You don't have to stare," said Sophia, catching her gaze.

"I wasn't," she lied. "I... I'm sorry." Quickly, she reached for her brand new blue toothbrush, squirted some toothpaste on it, and shoved it in her mouth, to stop herself from saying anything stupid.

Sophia rinsed her mouth and spit in the sink, then turned back to Callie. "I know you don't want to hear it, but again, I'm really sorry about what happened. I know I ruined everything." She looked down when Callie didn't answer. "...see you downstairs?"

Callie just shrugged. "Yeah." She felt like she should say more, something encouraging, but she couldn't think of anything. Finally, she sighed, and asked, "What was that fight Robert and your mom had last night about?" She had the sinking feeling it was about her, but she didn't brink it up.

"I don't know," Sophia replied. "I didn't hear anything. maybe it was just the TV?" She looked toward Callie's door. "Uh, is it okay if I get a little privacy?"

"Sure," Callie nodded, reaching for the doorknobs. She noticed, for the first time, that the locks had been removed from both doors. she didn't know much about her sister's incident, other than that Sophia had locked herself in the bathroom after their fight, and cut herself. Jill had found her there, unconscious. After she was treated for her injuries, she was sent to an residential treatment facility for three weeks, to undergo counseling and supervision.

Troubled, Callie got dressed and wandered downstairs. Robert and Jill were sitting at the table, eating breakfast without looking at each other; tension hung thick in the room, like smoke. "Good morning, honey," Robert said, greeting her in feigned cheerfulness. "Did you sleep well in your new room?"

"No," she honestly admitted. "Not really."

"Well, it'll take some getting used to," he nodded, giving her a sympathetic look. "Would you like some coffee?"

"I can have coffee?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. She loved the stuff, but Stef and Lena had always remained firm that children shouldn't have it.

"Of course you can," Robert replied. "Why not?"

"It's just that I'm not allowed to have it at home," she explained. "My moms don't think it'd good for us."

"It's decaf," Robert told her, pouring her a mug. "I don't think one cup a day will hurt you. How do you take it?"

"Black," she answered.

"Me too," he winked, passing her the mug.

Callie took a long sip of the bitter liquid. It was interesting, she realized, that she liked her coffee the same way as he did. He mother hated coffee of any kind; she preferred tea.

"Have some quiche," Robert offered, slicing a piece of pie and setting it on a plate. "Do you want some fruit salad? Juice?"

Knowing her father was going out of his way to be nice to her, she studied the spread on the table quickly. "Um, I'll have some fruit salad. Thanks."

Jill turned to her, then. Callie noticed the older woman was looking at everything but her husband. They hadn't made eye contact at all since she sat down, let alone spoke to each other. "Your uniforms arrived yesterday," she said softly. "You'll need to try them on later, so you can be ready for school on Tuesday."

"Uniforms?" Callie asked, surprised. "I thought I was still gonna go to Anchor Beach?"

"Anchor Beach is too far away," Jill explained. "You'll go to school with Sophia."

Callie sighed deeply, giving her step-mother a frustrated look. Suddenly, she couldn't take it anymore. "I want to go home," she snapped. "I hate it here!"

"Then you may leave the table."

Callie threw her napkin down and stood up, hurrying out of the kitchen. Somehow, though, she got turned around, and found herself in an unfamiliar hall. She walked down it slowly, looking around. A door was ajar, and she peeked inside. It seemed to be some sort of study. Books were lined on floor-to-ceiling shelves, and a dark wood desk rested in front of a large window. There was a fireplace made of smooth stone. On the mantle, framed school photos of Sophia were lined up in chronological order.

Going to them, Callie studied each one, starting from kindergarten. She could have been looking at herself, she realized.

"Callie, honey?"

She turned around to see Robert standing there. "Sorry. I got lost."

"I figured," he nodded, coming closer. He placed his hand on her shoulder and followed her gaze. "She was a cutie. Of course she still is." He smiled proudly, but sadly.

"She looks just like I did when I was little," Callie told him. "It's amazing."

"Well, you are sisters," he reminded her. "Even though you didn't grow up together, you still share DNA."

"It's weird," Callie told him. "People always said I looked like mom. But Sophia and I look so much alike. I mean, no offense, but we don't really look like you."

Robert nodded, his blue eyes twinkling. "She looks like my grandmother. You both do. She had those big brown eyes, too. Would you like to see a picture?" He went to a shelf beside his desk, and took down an old, yellowing framed photo. It showed a young woman wearing an old-fashioned dress. Her dark hair was curled around her shoulders, and she was smiling. The picture was black and white, but Callie could tell her eyes were brown. She was barely older than Callie herself in the photo, and the resemblance was uncanny.

"She was the original Sophia Quinn," Robert smiled, returning the photo to it's place. "What do you think?"

"She really does look like me," Callie agreed.

"She does," he nodded. "But your nose... that's Colleen's."

Subconsciously, Callie reached up and rubbed the bridge of her nose. She couldn't help but smile to herself.

"Callie," said, Robert, sitting down in a leather chair. "I don't expect you to love me as a father right now. I know you're angry at me, and in many ways, I'm still a stranger to you. But I was hoping, maybe, we could at least be friends?"

Callie looked down into her lap, not knowing what to see. She'd never been good at emotional stuff, and her feelings were all mixed up. She longed to be home with Stef and Lena, but deep down, she did want to know Robert. And he'd been so kind to her. "Okay," she finally nodded. "Friends." She sighed. Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," he replied.

"Okay. Um... I heard you and Jill fighting last night. And then you went to sleep in the guest room. I need to know... were you fighting because of me?"

Robert looked away for a moment, his eyes shiny with tears. "No, honey. Not really. It doesn't take much to get us fighting these days. I guess you're going to find out anyway. The truth is, Jill and I have decided to get a divorce."

Callie sucked in a sharp breath, suddenly filled with guilt. "It's my fault, isn't it?"

"No, baby," Robert promised. "It isn't."

"It has to be," she insisted. "I came along and ruined everything. Like I always do. Unless... it's because of mom?'

"It's true that I've never gotten over Colleen," Robert insisted. "She was my one true love, and finding out about you has brought a lot of those feelings back. And that's been hard on Jill, I won't lie. But there's a lot more to it than that. We're just not happy."

"Does Sophia know?"

Robert nodded. "We told her, a week or so after we found out about you. She took it pretty hard. That's what I meant when I told you her accident wasn't your fault. It wasn't." He swiped some tears from his eyes before they fell. "I guess, we were all having a good time at the fundraiser, and Sophia got it in her head that something had changed, and her mom and I were going to stay together. Then, after your fight, when she was running off, she overheard Jill talking about the divorce with someone, and she knew we weren't."

"So that's why she did it," Callie realized.

Robert nodded again.

"I heard her crying last night," she confided, hugging herself.

"Jill and I talked about staying together, just for her sake, when she was in the hospital. But that's no way to live, and it wouldn't be fair to any of us."

"I'm sorry," Callie breathed. "But I still feel like it's partly my fault."

"Don't, honey," Robert told her. "You'll just make yourself miserable if you blame yourself. Sophia has real problems, and if it's anyone's fault, it's Jill's, for being so hard on her about being perfect, and mine, for not telling her that she doesn't have to _be_ perfect."

They sat quietly for a few moments before Callie spoke up again. "Do I really have to switch schools?"

"It won't be such a bad thing," he replied. "You'll be going to a great school."

"It's just that I've been to seven different schools in six years," she told him. "Now, eight."

"Could you at least give it a try?" he asked. "You might like it."

"But at Anchor Beach, I'd get to see Jude."

"Oh," he nodded. "Well, I didn't think of that." He patted her knee, sitting up. "How about this? You give this school a try. Just for a few weeks. If you're not happy there, we'll arrange for you to keep going to your old school."

"I guess that would be okay..." she sighed. "Better than nothing."

"There's something else," he remembered, standing up and going to his desk. He turned on a laptop and gestured for Callie to come over. "I meant to tell you last night, that you're welcome to come down here any time you want and use the computer to video chat with the Fosters. That way, you can stay connected in between visits."

"Really?" she asked. "Can I do it now?"

"Sure," he smiled. "Let's ring them up."

Seconds later, Callie was looking at Mariana's face. "Hey!" she said. "Oh my gosh, I miss you."

Mariana nodded. "I miss you too!"

* * *

Later that morning, Brandon sat, staring down at his keyboard. The other band mates had gone home after practice, and only Lou remained, purposefully packing her stuff as slowly as possible. Brandon barely noticed her low-cut dress, and the way she bent down in front of him, obviously giving him a show. All he could think about was how his world had been turned upside down; how much he missed Callie.

"So, I was thinking we should run over _Outlaws_ again?" Lou suggested. "Just the two of us, so we can be set for the gig on Wednesday?"

Brandon looked up, pulled from his trance. "Uh, no thanks. I have some things to do."

Lou smiled seductively and came closer, lowering herself on his lap so she faced him. "Well, maybe we can make some music of our own?" Leaning in, she kissed him, running her fingers through his hair.

Brandon's eyes widened when she darted her tongue into his mouth. "Whoa," he said, pulling away. "I can't do this. I'm sorry."

Lou gave him a troubled look. "You don't like me, do you?"

"No, I do," he sighed. "It's just that-"

"I'm practically throwing myself at you," she pointed out.

"Listen," he replied. "You're beautiful, and talented, and I like you. As a friend. But I don't have any romantic feelings toward you. I'm sorry."

Lou sat down heavily in a chair and nodded. "Is it Callie?"

Brandon rubbed his chin, hesitating. Callie's leaving had changed everything. He knew it from the moment he'd kissed her the day before. "Yes," he admitted. "Lou, I'm so sorry. It's just that Callie and I have a long history. You were right about _Outlaws_. It's a love song I wrote for her."

"I knew it had to be about someone," she said quietly.

"It's about what we went through," Brandon explained. "Falling in love, even though we knew it was wrong, having to hide it."

"I just don't understand what she has that I don't have," Lou breathed, hugging herself.

"It's not you," he promised her. "It's just... I don't know. When I look at Callie, I know we're meant to be together. Like she's the only person for me. No one else can take her place. She's my one true love."

Lou rolled her eyes dramatically. "Here we go with that sappy true love crap."

"That's how it feels," he said, defensively. "You'll understand when you fall in love."

"How do you know I haven't already?" she asked, looking sincerely hurt. She stood up. "Look. I have to go."

"See you at practice tomorrow?"

She turned to look back at him. "Maybe. Maybe not." Then, she was out the door.

Brandon heaved a deep sigh, then dragged himself into the kitchen, where Stef stood, making lunch. "Hey, B."

He nodded. "Hey."

"You guys are sounding pretty good," she told him. "I've been enjoying listening."

"Yeah," he grunted. "But I'm pretty sure Lou hates me now."

"Why would she hate you?" Stef asked. "What happened?"

"She came onto me," he replied, taking a drink from the refrigerator. "But I'm just not into her, and I told her so. I was nice about it," he added. "But she got upset and left."

"I bet that girl's never heard the word 'no' in her life," said Stef. Honestly, she was glad Brandon had rejected Lou; she never cared for her, ever since the pot brownie incident.

"Well, now she's probably going to quit the band, because that's what Lou does." He turned his soda can in his hands. "And that means we have an important gig in three days, and no lead singer."

"I'm sure it will work out."

"Callie can sing."

Brandon and Stef turned around to see Jude standing in the kitchen doorway. "Callie can sing," he said again, going to the stove and sneaking a piece of cheese from a bowl. "She used to sing to me to help me fall asleep."

"But I need a real singer," said Brandon. "And I need one by tomorrow."

"Maybe you could give Callie a chance?" Stef offered. "See how she does. She might surprise you."

He pursed his lips thoughtfully. It could give him a chance to get close to her, to see where they stand. "Okay," he finally agreed. "I will."

**To Be Continued- Is anyone reading this story? Should I continue with it?**


	4. Chapter 4

**Note: Thanks for the reviews and follows! They mean a lot to me!**

Chapter 4.

Brandon approached the Quinns' ornate metal front door and rang the bell. Standing on the outside, he could see in, through the glass, at all the finery inside. The first and only time he'd ever been inside was the day of the fundraiser Robert held for Girls' United. He'd only seen the foyer, and part of a sitting room, but he'd seen enough to know there was a beautiful baby grand piano inside; one he'd love to sit at and play to his heart's content. He was imaging himself playing it, trying to distract himself from his nervousness, when he saw Robert come to the door and greet him.

"Hi, he said. Uh-" He rubbed his sweaty palms on his jeans. Why was he so nervous? He'd come to ask Callie to sing with him, not to propose. "I'm Brandon Foster. We met at Rita's fundraiser?"

"Of course," Robert nodded. He smiled, the corners of his pale eyes crinkling. He took Brandon's hand and shook it. "What can I do for you, son?"

"I- I came to see Callie," Brandon stuttered. "Is she, um, here?" There. He'd managed to get the sentence out, finally. Robert probably thought he was an idiot.

Robert swept his hand over his salt-and-pepper hair and stepped aside. "She is here. Come on in, please."

Brandon followed him inside, and Robert went to the bottom of the twisting stairway. "Callie, honey?"

"Yeah?" Callie's voice came from somewhere upstairs, and Brandon's skin prickled with excitement.

"You have a visitor. Please come down."

"I'm coming!" she called. "Hold on a minute."

"I guess she'll be down in a minute," Robert told Brandon, patting his shoulder. "Can I get you anything?"

Brandon swallowed. His throat was dry, his tongue sticking. He would have liked a glass of water, but he was too embarrassed to ask. "No, thank you."

Finally, Callie emerged, walking gracefully down the staircase. She spoke first. "Brandon!" she cried, descending the last few steps, hurrying to him.

He stepped forward and caught her up in his arms. "I've missed you," he sighed, hugging her tight enough to smell her hair; it smelled different now than it did when she lived at home. Probably because she was using a different kind of shampoo. It was nice, like Summer and sunshine, and he wanted to kiss her again, but he didn't dare to in front of Robert.

"I've missed you too," she smiled. Her eyes were damp. "Oh my gosh. What are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to see you," he told her, gripping her shoulders. "...and I kind of need to ask you a favor."

"A favor?" She furrowed her brow.

"It's a long story," he explained. "I'll tell you all about it."

"I'll give you two some privacy," Robert cut in. "I'm sure you have a lot to catch up on. I have one rule, though, Callie. I ask that you don't have any boys in your room."

"Okay," she nodded. "Um... can Brandon and I go talk in the den?"

"Of course," he agreed. "Go ahead, and call if you need anything."

"Okay." She turned to Brandon. "Come on," she said, leading him down a dimly lit hall. She went through a door, and he followed.

The den was a cavernous room, full of soft lighting and dark wood. He looked around, taking it all in, from the full bar, to the pool table, to the huge flat screen TV mounted on the wall. "Nice," he said, appreciatively.

Callie went to the bar, and bent down behind it, taking out two glasses. "Let me get you a drink." With a set of silver tongs, she plopped some ice into the glasses, than poured a bubbly liquid over the clear cubes.

"Callie, I don't think we should be-"

"It's just soda," she laughed. She brought the drinks over to a coffee table and sat down on a leather loveseat with carved legs. She looked up at him awkwardly. "Do you want to sit down?"

Brandon sat down and took a long sip of his soda. "Are you okay?" he asked, setting it down on a coaster. "I mean, is everything... you know?"

"I guess," she shrugged. "I miss home, though. It's just not the same here. How is everyone?"

"We all miss you," Brandon answered honestly. "I think Mom and Jude have taken it the hardest." Jude hadn't slept the night before and had barely eaten since she left, and he'd caught Stef crying to herself several times, but he didn't mention those details; there was no point in hurting her.

"I wish I could see them."

"Can't you?" he asked. "I mean, no one's stopping you?"

"No," she said. "I can visit any time I want. I just haven't had much of a chance. I have to start school tomorrow."

"That's cool." He turned his body to face her, laying his arm on the back of the loveseat, so his hand hovered against her shoulder. "This is an awesome house, though. And your dad seems nice. He seems to really love you." He'd noticed right away how Robert's face lit up when Callie was around; it was clear that he adored his daughter, and Brandon couldn't blame him. Callie was amazing.

She shrugged again. "I guess so." She jiggled her leg restlessly. "So, what did you want to ask me?"

Brandon laughed a little. He didn't know why everything suddenly felt so stiff and awkward between them. Maybe it's because they'd been apart? "This is going to sound weird, but can you sing?"

"Sing?" She gave him a puzzled look. "Why?"

He sighed, trying to choose his words carefully. "It's like this... the band has a gig the day after tomorrow, but I pissed Lou off, and she quit on us. Again."

"What did you do to her?"

"Nothing," he promised. "She was hitting on me, and it was making my uncomfortable, so I let her down gently, and she took it like Lou does."

"Wow," Callie giggled, amused. "It must be so hard having gorgeous women throw themselves at you."

"It is," he nodded dramatically. "But it's a burden I have to bear." He laughed when Callie rolled her eyes. "Lou just isn't my type. It's nothing personal."

Callie's smile widened, just a little. "So, what is your type?" she asked.

"Anyway..." he said, quickly changing the subject. "I was wondering if you might be open to singing in her place."

"I can't," she said, shrinking back, her smile fading.

"Jude said you can sing," he told her, gently. "Can you?"

"Yeah, in the shower," she clarified. "Not in public, in front of tons of people."

"It's at a teen night club on a weeknight," he told her, jokingly. "I'm sure the shower has a bigger audience." It wasn't that they were going to perform in front of a huge crowd. It was that, according to Mat, the club owner's cousin's neighbor (or something like that) had connections to a big-time record company.

"I get nervous..." she said, quietly, her voice trailing off. "I'd probably faint."

"I'm sure you'd do great," he offered. "You'd just need to learn a few duets with me, just in case Lou bails on the big night. You might not even _have_ to sing if she decides to show up."

"No," she stated. "I'm sorry, but I can't."

"Please?" he begged. "I need you, Callie." He took her hand, rubbing her fingers. "For me?"

"I don't know..."

"I won't force you," he told her softly. "But it _would_ be cool to sing together. Especially _Outlaws_. Even though I sing it with the band, it's still our song. No one else's." He'd sung the song with Lou several times, but it didn't feel right, because he knew he was singing it to the wrong girl. Sometimes he wished he'd never allowed the band to use it. It meant too much to him.

Callie looked down, then back up at him, her expression hard to read. "If I do this for you, it would... it would be me, keeping my promise to you. Helping you follow your dream. Wouldn't it?"

He nodded, feeling a little guilty for trying to talk her into something she was reluctant about. "Well, yeah. But if you really don't want to do it, Callie, it's okay. I wouldn't be mad at you, or anything like that."

"You would do the same for me," she realized. She paused for a long moment, then finally spoke again. "Well, I guess I could try... just don't laugh at me if I mess up, okay?"

"I'd never laugh at you," he promised, squeezing her hand, and looking into her deep, dark eyes. "But I know you'll sound beautiful."

Callie finished her drink, then stood up. "We have a piano. It's in the living room. We could practice there, if you want to."

"That would be cool," he agreed. "I brought the music with me."

He followed her back down to the hall, into the immaculate living room. He sat down at the piano bench, and Callie slid in next to him, so close their thighs touched. He took the handwritten sheet music from his backpack and set it on the music stand. He played a few lines of the _Outlaws_, singing along softly, the sound of Robert flipping through a newspaper in the next room in the background. While playing, he paused every once in a while to explain Callie's part to her, or demonstrate how it should be sung, all the while stealing glances at her plump lips and her long lashes. When she looked at him, or their hands bumped, he felt his pulse quicken. There was no one else in the world who made him feel that way.

The first time Callie opened her mouth to sing was at the chorus. Brandon had just sung, "I think we might be outlaws. I think we might be in love...," when she joined in. Her voice was strained at first, tense and halting. Then slowly, she loosened up, and began to sing louder and clearer.

Lou had a powerful, soulful voice, that filled a room. Callie's voice was more innocent, almost cute. She didn't hit the notes hard, but she made you want to listen. And Brandon did, sometimes losing his place in the music, then quickly having to catch up.

When Brandon finished the last strains on the song, they were interrupted by enthusiastic clapping. The whipped their heads around to see Robert standing in the doorway. "Bravo!" he said, smiling. "That was amazing, kids."

"Thanks, Mr. Quinn," Brandon nodded. He couldn't help but feel proud.

"I didn't know you were so talented, honey," Robert told Callie. He bent down and pressed a kiss to her temple, and her face turned beet red.

"I didn't know anyone was watching," she murmured, hugging herself.

Robert squeezed her shoulder lovingly. "I didn't mean to embarrass you, Callie. I'll get out of your way now." He turned and left the room, his footsteps echoing down the hall.

"That was humiliating," Callie breathed, once they were alone.

"You shouldn't be embarrassed," Brandon told her, pulling her to his side. "Really. You sounded so good."

"It's weird, though," she observed, looking up. "I mean, we've been in here alone and we're sitting really close..." she looked down where their legs were touching. "And Robert saw us and he didn't even care."

Brandon nodded. "I know." At home, he and Callie were rarely allowed to spend time alone together, and if they hugged or their bodies touched, even just in a friendly way, they were met with warning looks or the clearing of a throat. "Maybe this is how it's going to be from now on?"

"Unless Robert changes his mind and lets me go home," she reminded him.

"But what if he doesn't?" His question hung in the air. "Whatever. Let's just keep practicing."

They played through the song again, as well as a few others. Callie was a quick learner, and they planned to practice with the rest of the band the next day. Finally, at five o'clock, Brandon decided it was time to wrap it up. It was getting late, and Stef would be expecting him home for dinner.

He took his jacket, and Callie walked him to the door. "Give everyone my love?" she asked, looking at him pleadingly.

"I will." He reached out to stroke her hair. "Thanks for helping me, Callie. I owe you one." He took her in his arms and gave her a tight hug. "See you soon?"

She nodded as they parted. "See you soon."

Brandon turned, headed to his car. He stopped, looking back at her. "I didn't answer your question before."

"What question?"

"What my type is." He paused. "Well, you're my type. I just thought you should know." Before she could reply, he hurried down the driveway and got in his car.

**To Be Continued**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5.

"Damn it," Callie mumbled under her breath as she turned her locked combination one last time. She sighed in frustration when it didn't click. Flipping through her folder, she found her schedule, where her combination was written. Hastily, she tried it again, when she was interrupted by the sound of her name being called.

"Callie!" It was Sophia, followed by several other girls.

She groaned in frustration. Sophia had distracted her, causing her to overshoot the last number. She'd have to start over. Again. "What do you want?"

"I want you to meet my friends," Sophia told her. She turned to the other girls. "This is my big sister, Callie." The girls looked to her, unsure. Sophia turned back to her. "Do you want to eat lunch with us?"

"No," said Callie. "I do not want to eat lunch with you. Please, just leave me alone." She turned back to her locker, working out her combination one more time. From the corner of her eye, she saw Sophia walk away, her head hanging down. And behind her, her friends followed, laughing and whispering amongst themselves. Callie knew that they were making fun of Sophia behind her back.

Finally, her locker popped open. She put her books away, then walked to the food line. None of the uniformed Archfield girls even looked at her as she passed by; normally, her classmates were curious to meet the new girl when she started a new school. They didn't start avoiding her until the next day. Here, they skipped that first step completely. But she didn't need anyone, anyway, so she didn't mind too much. What did she have in common with these rich, snotty girls? They went to country clubs, horseback riding, and got sports cars for their sixteenth birthday. That wasn't her.

She got her lunch and carried it to any empty table in the corner.

* * *

Callie came home from her first day of school, weary and depressed. It had been a long, confusing day. She would have gone straight to her room and sulked if Brandon's car hadn't been idling in the driveway. Seeing him turned her mood around completely.

"I'm going with Brandon!" she called to Sophia, as her sister headed toward the house. "Remind Robert, okay?"

"Can I come with you?" the younger girl asked hopefully.

"No!" she shouted back. She hopped in his car and slammed the door shut before the girl could protest. As they were driving away, she looked back to see her sister's sad face, and felt a moment of guilt, but it quickly disappeared once they were on their way toward home... her real home.

"How was your first day of school?" Brandon asked her, turning to glance at her.

"Ugh. Don't ask," she sighed. "I just want to forget about it." She laid back against the seat and closed her eyes. "Have you heard from Lou?"

"Nah," he replied. "She isn't answering her phone." He reached over to touch her arm, massaging it with his fingertips, sending shivers up her spine. "Callie, again, thanks for helping me out. You're the best... _friend_... I could ever ask for."

Callie opened her eyes an looked over at him. He was so hot, freshly shaved and smelling of cologne. "You are too, Brandon. " She was a little disappointed with his choice of words, though. Friend? Sometimes he acted like they were exactly that. Other times, like they were more. It made her wonder if he was willing to give her one more chance, or if she really had pushed him away too many times.

"You look cute in your uniform," he told her, studying her legs, which were dressed in knee socks.

"Really?" Her uniform consisted of a navy and green plaid skirt, and a white polo shirt with the Archfield crest embroidered on the chest pocket. The only thing personal about it was her necklace. She was glad the dress code allowed "tasteful accessories," because she'd never take it off. "I didn't have a chance to change," she told him apologetically.

He laughed. "I think it's sexy."

* * *

They reached the Foster's house quickly, and went through the back door. Stef was in the kitchen, practically hopping up and down on her toes when she saw them. "Hi, baby!" she squealed, throwing her arms around Callie. She took the girl's face between her hands. "Let me look at you. How are you?"

"I'm fine," Callie laughed, looking up at her foster mother. "I miss you."

"I miss you too, slug-a-bug," Stef replied, giving her another hug, pressing kiss after kiss to her cheek. "So, so much. Come here, come here." She led her to the table. "We need to catch up."

"Mom," said Brandon, impatiently. "The guys will be here any second." Truth be told, he just wanted a few moments alone with Callie. He'd been working up the courage all day to tell her how much she meant to him, to ask her where they stood now that everything had changed, and right then seemed like the perfect time.

"They're not here yet, B.," Stef said, hushing him. "I've been dying to see my girl. Let us visit a little while, and then she's all yours." She handed Callie a gift bag. "I got you some things to take home," she told her, taking out a zip-lock bag. "I baked you some of those cookies you love." She set the bag on the table and held up a beautiful new bikini. "And I saw this at the mall, and it was on sale. I thought you could use it on our camping trip, and of course in Robert's pool. By the way, did you ask Robert yet if you can go?"

"Not yet," she admitted, fingering the yellow fabric. "But I will."

"I also picked you up some lip balms," Stef went on, holding up a package of Lip Smackers. "Just something fun I thought you'd like. And some candy." She set a small, heart-shaped box of chocolates down on the table.

Callie smiled, feeling a little bashful. "You didn't have to get all this stuff for me."

"Well, of course I didn't _have_ to," her foster mother laughed, smoothing back her hair. "I wanted to, honey. Just because I love you." She leaned down and kissed Callie's temple. "You're still my little girl, no matter where you're living."

Lacing her arms around Stef's neck, Callie hugged her tight. "I love everything. Thanks so much."

"You're welcome," her foster mother sighed, rubbing her back. "I'm happy to do it. Now, I want you to try this on, so we can see how it fits, just in case I have to return it."

"I'm sure it will fit," Callie told her, taking the bathing suit and reading the tag.

"But you should try it on anyway," Stef insisted.

"Okay," she sighed, heading toward the bathroom.

Now, Brandon was glad that he hadn't whisked Callie away. Because several minutes later, she came back dressed in the yellow bikini. He tried not to stare too obviously, but he couldn't help himself. The color brought out the warm glow of her skin and highlighted her smooth stomach and round breasts. She stood there self-consciously, unaware of how gorgeous she looked, her arms crossed in front of her. That was something he loved about Callie: she didn't seem to realize that she was beautiful.

"You look adorable," Stef told her. "I think I got the right size, too. Does it feel okay?"

"It feels fine," Callie assured her. "I love it."

"Good," she nodded. "Now, go on back and change."

* * *

After rehearsal, Brandon, Callie, and Jude sat down on the old sofa in the garage. Brandon still hadn't had a chance to talk to her. Jude had watched the band practice, and stuck around afterward, hardly leaving his sister's side. Right now, he was snuggled against Callie, a half-empty bag of Doritos between them. Brandon knew Callie and Jude needed time together; he'd be cruel to intrude on it. They missed each other so much, and he respected that. But he couldn't help but smile when Callie finally asked her little brother if they could have a minute alone.

Jude got up and wandered into the kitchen, and Callie moved closer, filling the gap between them. "Brandon?" she asked.

He sat back and put his arm around her. "Yeah?" He held his breath expectantly.

"Do you remember what it was like when your parents got divorced?"

Brandon's heart dropped; her question had come out of nowhere. "Why do you ask?"

She sighed. "Robert and Jill are getting a divorce."

"Oh," he breathed. "I'm sorry, Cal." He knew that the right time had come and gone. There was no way he could ask her about their relationship at that moment.

"Thanks," she told him. "But honestly, I could care less. I'm really asking for Sophia." She wasn't close to Jill, and Jill didn't seem to want to get to know her, so it didn't bother her much that her father and step-mother were splitting up. But hearing Sophia cry at night while her parents argued made her heart ache in a way she couldn't explain. She wanted to make her feel better somehow. It was the big sister inside her. Those instincts never went away.

"Well, I was five," Brandon explained. "So I don't remember too much." He absentmindedly stroked her hair as he spoke, playing with her braid. "What I remember most is, it was the first time I ever saw my dad cry. It scared me. I don't think I even knew that adults _could_ cry."

"That must have been hard."

"It was," he nodded. "I didn't understand about mom being gay, and I thought the divorce was my fault, that if I'd just been better somehow, dad wouldn't have moved out. But then, he took me for a drive one day and told me that even though they were getting a divorce, he wasn't divorcing me. He told that he and mom still loved me, and always would, even if they didn't love each other anymore."

"Did it make you feel better, what he said?"

"It did," he nodded. "Especially since he took me out for ice cream afterward."

Callie laughed. "Is it okay if I tell Sophia what you told me? I think she's really hurting."

"Yeah," he said. "Go ahead. Divorce is one of the hardest things a kid can go through." He patted her knee lovingly. "I know it doesn't seem like much, compared to the things you and Jude had to deal with, but it still sucks. You feel... betrayed."

Just then, they were interrupted by footsteps coming toward the garage. It was Mariana. "Callie, Robert wants you home now. Mama's gonna drive you, okay?"

"Okay," she said, getting up slowly. "You coming in?"

"Nah," said Brandon. "I'm gonna hang out here for a little while."

She nodded, and before she went in, she threw her arms around him, giving him a hug. "Thanks for the advice. See you tomorrow?"

He held her for one extra moment, vowing to talk to her the next day, whether the moment was right or not. "See you tomorrow."

The whole family was waiting in the kitchen. "There you are, baby doll," said Stef. "You ready to go?"

"No," she lamented. "I wish I could stay."

"I know, baby," she mussed, pressing a kiss to her cheek. "I know."

Callie hugged Stef harder, squeezing her around the ribs, when she caught a glimpse of the coffee table in the living room. Her eyes welled with tears. A board game was set up. It was family game night. Embarrassed and ashamed, she stalked off, out of the room.

Stef and Lena followed her.

"Honey, please don't cry," Stef pleaded, swiping away her own tears. "You're making _me_ cry."

"I can't help it," she sniffled, angry at herself for breaking down in front of everyone.

"Come here, sweets," said Lena, pulling Callie into her arms.

Stef joined in the hug, holding her between them. "We love you so much, bug," she whispered.

"I love you too," she said, in a strained voice.

"You'll see us tomorrow," Lena reminded her as she kissed her forehead. "We're all coming to see the band perform."

Callie nodded, regaining her composure. "I'm sorry for getting upset."

"Hey, don't you apologize," Stef told her, turning her head to face her. "You did nothing wrong. Now, are you ready to go back out there and say goodbye to everyone?"

"Yeah," she agreed. "I think so." She stood up, and went to the kitchen where her siblings were waiting.

Mariana was the first to hug her. "I miss you, sissy," she cooed.

"I miss you too," Callie smiled.

Still gripping her by the arms, Mariana said, "You need to have me spend the night soon. I'm dying to see the rest of that house!"

"I'll ask," Callie promised, knowing her foster sister was fascinated by Robert's elegant home. "We'll set something up."

She said goodbye to Jesus next. "It isn't the same here without you," he told her, playfully punching her arm.

Jude was last, and he was already in tears. "Bye," he breathed.

Callie hugged him tight, cradling him against his chest. "I love you," she said, kissing the top of his head. "I'll see you soon, baby."

"See you soon."

Then, Lena handed Callie her gifts, and she followed her out the door. The ride was quiet, the sky already darkening. They arrived at the Quinns' doorstep in a short time, and before she rang the bell, Lena gave her one last hug. When they parted, her foster mother paused to look her in the eye. "I just want you to know that I am so proud of you," she whispered.

"Why?" She thought Lena was referring to her singing with the band, but she wasn't sure.

"For how maturely you're taking this," she told her. "I know it isn't easy, and your life feels out of control, but you really are handling this well. I want you to keep it up, okay?"

"I will," she nodded. "Thanks."

"Things will get better soon. I know it seems impossible, but they will. I love you, sweetheart. I'll see you tomorrow." And then she left.

* * *

After dinner, at which Jill was mysteriously absent, Callie retreated to the privacy of her room and sat down heavily on her bed. Alone, she let her tears go at last. They fell, dotting her lap, and she didn't bother wiping them away. Reaching for her gift bag, she held it close.

She started when Sophia came through the bathroom door. "Callie?"

Callie wanted to snap at her, to tell her to go away, but she didn't. "Haven't you ever heard of knocking?" she quietly asked.

Sophia didn't answer her question, immediately noticing her tears. "What's wrong?"

"What do you care?" she said, bitterly.

"Never mind," the younger girl sighed. "I'll go."

"No, wait," she said, suddenly stopping her. "It's just... I miss my family. My moms, and Jude, and everyone."

"Oh," her sister nodded, looking a little guilty. "You really love them, don't you?"

"More than anything."

"But they're not even your real family," Sophia told her. "_We_ are. Other than Jude. And dad's trying to get him too, so we can all be together. Won't that be great?"

Callie let out a sigh of frustration. She had honestly meant to be nicer to Sophia, to share Brandon's advice with her. But once again, her half-sister got under her skin with her prying questions and ignorant comments. "First of all," she said, firmly, "the Fosters _are_ my real family, and nothing's gonna change that. And second of all, we _wouldn't_ all be together, because once Robert and your mom get divorced, she'll take you with her."

Sophia shook her head, stunned. Then, her face crumpled and she began to cry.

Callie felt like an ass. "Hey... hey, I'm sorry. I didn't mean that."

"How did you know about the divorce?" the younger girl asked, sitting on the bed and hugging her knees.

"Robert told me," she admitted.

Sophia heaved a heartfelt sob. "I don't want my parents to split up. I want us to be a family."

Though she felt like telling her that you can't always have what you want, she didn't. Brandon's words came back to her instead. "Look... your parents love you."

"Mom doesn't love me," she mumbled. "Especially now that I'm not winning things and getting straight A's."

"She does love you," Callie assured her. "No one puts that much effort into someone they don't love. Sophia, you're parents are divorcing each other. They're not divorcing you."

"It feels that way," she sniffled, her tears streaming down her face. "I don't want to leave dad, and this is the only house I've ever lived in."

"I'd give anything to leave this house," Callie replied under her breath.

"You just don't know daddy like I do," Sophia told her. "He's the best father in the world. If you gave him half a chance, you'd love him too. I know you would. At least _he_ didn't kill your mom like that other guy did. Why do you even call him your father?"

"Shut up!" Callie finally snapped, annoyed. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"Neither do you. You said it yourself, no one puts that much effort into someone they don't love."

Robert came into the room then, and they turned to gape at him. "Girls, what's going on?" he asked. "I can hear you yelling down the hall."

"Nothing," said Callie.

"Nothing," said Sophia.

"Why don't you go to your room, sweetheart," he told his younger daughter. "Unwind before bed."

"Okay," she sighed, giving him a hug and kiss. "Goodnight, dad. I love you."

"I love you too, princess. Goodnight."

After Sophia was gone, Robert came to Callie's bedside and sat down. "I don't know if I should be upset that you girls are fighting or relieved that you're at least talking."

"I'm sorry," she confessed. "I started it. It's just, she's so insensitive. She's always saying dumb things, and I lost my temper."

He nodded. "I understand."

"She thinks I don't understand about families coming apart. I do. She's not the only one with problems. I'm hurting too."

"I know you are," he sighed, placing his hand on her shoulder. "We all lose our temper sometimes. I just ask that you be careful what you say to her, honey. I'm not saying you're wrong to feel angry. You can punch your pillow, scream in your closet, whatever you need to do. But Sophia's still fragile right now, and well, we never know how what we say might affect her."

"Again, I'm sorry," she apologized, catching the sadness in her father's eyes. Or was it grief?

He patted her back. "It's okay, sweetheart. You know, Sophia wasn't always like this. She used to be such a happy kid. Sometimes, I find myself going back, trying to figure out where I went wrong, but I know it won't change anything."

Callie looked up, studying him. "I don't think you did anything wrong. Sophia thinks the world of you."

He smiled tearfully, when he noticed her gift bag. "Hey. What'cha got there?"

"It's mine..." she said, defensively. Then, she let her guard down a little. "It's from my mom. Stef."

"That was nice of her," he nodded. "Can I see?"

She opened the bag, laying out the contents. "She baked me some cookies and bought me some things she thought I'd like." She touched the bathing suit lightly. "There's this camping trip next weekend. It's something the Fosters do every year. They invited me, and I really want to go. Can I?"

"I don't see why not," he answered. "It sounds like fun. I used to love camping when I was a boy."

"Thanks," she smiled.

"Do you need anything for the trip?"

"Well..." She didn't want to ask him for anything, ever, if she could help it. But the truth was, she wasn't prepared for the trip, really. "I almost have enough saved for a sleeping bag. I'm only, like, thirty bucks short. If I could just borrow the money, I could pay you back."

He laughed, nodding. "I know you won't let me buy you one, so, yes. You've got a deal. We'll go get one tomorrow."

"Thank you," she said, her spirits lifting. "Really."

"Well," he yawned. "I have some work to finish up before I turn in." He stood up and stretched. "Okay if I kiss you goodnight?"

"I guess so," she replied, quietly.

He bent down and hugged her, pressing a soft, quick kiss to her cheek. Then, he tilted her chin up so he could look her in the eye. "I love you."

She nodded. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight," he said, turning away. "Don't stay up too late."

"I won't," she promised.

He left the room, and she heard him go into the guest room, like he did every night.

After her room was quiet, and though it was still early, Callie lay down on her bed. In the rosy lamplight, she allowed herself time to think, about home, about Brandon. Her train of thought led her back to Sophia, and it occurred to her that, although they had a different idea of what it looked like, they both wanted the same thing in life: a family.

**To Be Continued**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6.

Callie and Robert walked out of the sporting goods store, Callie toting a new purple sleeping. "Thanks again," she said, placing it in the trunk.

"I'm glad you like it," he said, patting her back. "Well, you ready to head home? You've got to get ready for your big debut." He winked, his smile rising to his friendly eyes.

"I guess," she said. She got in the car and buckled herself in. "Hey, Robert?"

Her father swallowed hard, his smile fading away. "What, honey?"

Callie fidgeted nervously with the buckle on her seat belt. "Um, Sophia told me that... that you're trying to get custody of Jude, too. Is that true?"

"I've been looking into it," he admitted.

"Well, don't," she pleaded. "Please?" She sighed deeply, her breathing shallow. "He's not like other boys his age. He needs to be there, in a home where he can be himself and feel safe. Stef and Lena understand him." The thought of her little brother leaving the Fosters, especially Lena, whom he had formed such a strong bond with, broke her heart.

"I love Jude very much," Robert calmly told her. "That day on the boat... I know I'm not his father, but it _felt_ like he was my son. If Stef and Lena hadn't already adopted him, I would've adopted him myself. In a heartbeat. But what's more, I thought you would want the two of you to be together."

"I do," she confided. "But that would be selfish. I'd rather be apart if it means Jude can stay with Stef and Lena. He needs them. And if you take him from them, I don't think I could ever love or respect you. I'm sorry, but _please_, don't pursue him anymore."

Robert was silent for several moments, thoughtfully staring into space while they waited at a stoplight. Callie held her breath, waiting for him to answer. Finally, he did. "Okay."

"Really?" she asked with disbelief. "Promise?"

He turned to her and nodded, his eyes damp. "I promise."

* * *

Callie bounced on her toes with nervous energy. She'd just arrived at the club, along with Robert and Sophia. Moving away from them, she scanned the room for Brandon. She finally spotted him, surrounded by the family.

"Hey, baby," she said to Jude, scooping him up in a hug.

"Hi," he said, hugging her back. When he looked up, his nose was red and runny and his eyes were watery.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"Yeah," he nodded. "I'm fine."

"He's got a little cold," Lena explained. "We tried to keep him home, but he wouldn't take no for an answer."

"Jude," Callie scolded. "You should be in bed!" He'd been fine the day before, she remembered. But he'd always been sickly growing up, forever coming home from school with the sniffles or a cough.

"I wanted to hear you sing," he said. "I don't have a temperature." He pulled a tissue from his pocket and blew his nose.

Callie hugged him again, brushing her fingers through his hair, and kissed his forehead. "You get some rest when you get home, buddy."

"I will," he promised. "Don't worry about me."

"We're all excited to see you with the band," Stef told her, coming forward to give her a bear-hug.

She clung to Stef, her arms encircling her neck. "I'm so nervous."

Stef gave her a loud kiss on the cheek. "Don't be nervous," she told her, patting her back. "Imagine the audience in their underwear."

Callie looked back at Robert, blushing. "Um, I think I'll pass on that suggestion."

Stef laughed and kissed her again before handing her over to Lena.

"Are you ready, Cal?" Brandon finally asked. "We need to warm up before we go on."

"Yeah," she said, more sure of herself than she felt. "Let's go." She waved to her family, then followed him. The rest of the band was already setting up. She laughed when they showed her the ridiculous vocal exercises they did before a gig, something straight out of _High School Musical_. She tried them herself, but cracked up laughing before she could get the strange noises out.

As the band was being introduced, Brandon leaned in and shyly kissed her cheek. "For luck," he explained. "If you get nervous, just look at me. Okay?"

"Should I picture you in your underwear?" she smirked.

"If it helps," he teased. "Just remember... I'll be singing to you." Then, the spotlight was on them.

The first strains of "Outlaws" began, and Brandon's warm voice bounced off his microphone. Goosebumps rose on Callie's arms. He was so good, it gave her chills. Sometimes, she still couldn't believe that the song was about her. It was hard to believe the something so breathtaking was inspired by someone as ordinary as her.

As Brandon neared the chorus of the song, Callie made the mistake of looking out at the audience. The lights were bright, but she could make out her family; Stef and Lena clapping their hands and cheering. Those familiar faces were surrounded by strangers; Stef and Lena, along with Robert, were the only adults in the room. Momentarily, Callie froze, panic-stricken. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out.

Then, she took Brandon's advice and looked at him. He was already looking at her. Their eyes met, and he nodded, ever so slightly, his lips turned up in a crooked smile. And she could tell that he was, in fact, singing to her. She would just do the same and sing to him. Taking a deep breath, she began to sing, just as he'd taught her, and the words flowed out easier and easier.

The song was ending before she knew it, and she'd scarcely taken her eyes off of Brandon the whole time, afraid to look away, as if under a spell. If she looked away from him, the spell would be broken and her stage fright would return. Brandon seemed to be in the same sort of trance, as he sang the last line of the song, _I'll love you every day and every night._

The rest of the band's set seemed to flow by. "That was awesome!" Callie breathed, once it was over and they were backstage.

"I'm glad you had fun," Brandon smiled. "There's nothing like performing." She looked around quickly. His band mates were busy taking apart equipment. "Come with me," he said quietly. "I need to talk to you in private."

He led her to a back room, some kind of storage room, and closed the door. "What's up?" she asked.

He stood before her and took her hands in his. "I've been trying to find a chance to talk, but it never seemed like the right time." he took a shaky breath. "I still love you, Callie. I really love you." He looked into her eyes, trying to communicate his sincerity. "I know I turned you down the day of the fundraiser, but it was a mistake. I was so stupid. I just hope it isn't too late for another chance."

"You weren't stupid," she said, blinking, taken aback. "You were just keeping your promise to me. I get it."

"But what does our promise mean anymore?" he asked. "You're not getting adopted." He paused, realizing how his words must have sounded to her. "I didn't mean it like that, Cal. I'm sorry."

"It's okay," she said, squeezing his hand. She turned away thoughtfully. "I know I'm not getting adopted."

"What I meant was," he went on, turning her around. "Promises can change. Because life changes. I still want the same thing for you... to not let you give up on finding happiness."

"I want to be happy," she told him quietly.

"Well, maybe you're supposed to have a different kind of happiness. Remember what you said? That maybe this is the way things are supposed to be?"

"I did say that," she nodded, recalling her words.

"I feel so bad that the adoption didn't work out," he told her. "But there's nothing standing between us now. And I love you, and I want to be with you. I've been thinking about it since the day you moved out, but when we first sang together at Robert's, I knew." He looked into her eyes pleadingly. "Please say you feel the same way?"

Callie stood rigid for a moment, then wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him. "I do feel the same way, Brandon. I always have. I still love you, too."

Brandon smiled, squeezing his eyes shut, and nodded. Then, he tilted his head down and kissed her. Each time he paused, she drew him back in, deepening the kiss, nibbling on his swollen lips.

They clung to each other, kissing, for a few more minutes, when Callie finally pulled away. "We better go. Everyone's probably looking for us."

"You're right," he said. He pressed one last kiss to her lips. "Come on." He took her by the hand and they left the small room and went back down the hall to where the band was hanging around, drinking sodas.

The first thing they noticed was that Lou was there, leaning against a wall, looking troubled. "So," she said," standing up. "I see I've been replaced."

* * *

"So, what do you say we bring take-out home for dinner?" Robert asked Callie, as she ducked into his car. It was the next afternoon, and he'd just picked her up from counseling.

"Sure," she said. "Sounds good."

"You've probably noticed I'm not much of a cook," he laughed.

"I can cook," she confided. "I took classes at Girls United. And sometimes we took turns making dinner at... at home." She glanced down at her phone. She'd been texting Brandon on and off all afternoon, and she was hoping to see a new message from him.

"Well, maybe you'd like to make dinner for us sometime?" Robert offered. "You're mom was a great cook. You must take after her."

Callie smiled to herself. She liked the idea that she took after her beautiful, funny, kind mother. "Did she ever make biscuits and gravy when you guys were together?"

Robert laughed and nodded. "Her specialty. I'd love to taste it again."

"I know how to make it," she told him. "I could make it for breakfast someday."

He turned into the parking lot of a Chinese restaurant. "I'll be looking forward to that."

* * *

Callie and Robert came through the kitchen door, carrying bags of Chinese food. "I'm going to go look at the mail," he told her, once they were inside. "Would you mind putting the food away?"

"I don't mind," she replied. She opened the bag, and began unpacking the paper cartons and putting them in the fridge, while her father wandered into the living room.

"Where were you?" Sophia asked, coming into the kitchen for a drink. "I looked for you after school."

"I was at counseling,"Callie told her, as she threw the bags away.

Sophia's eyes lit up a little and she giggled. "Hey! I go to counseling too. I guess craziness runs in our family."

Sucking in her breath, Callie gave her sister a sharp look. She'd been in a good mood since the night before, now that she and Brandon were a couple again. But like that, her good mood had disappeared. "Maybe _you're_ crazy, but I'm not," she snapped, offended. "I go because I've been abused. Unlike you," she added, "who grew up in a perfect family with everything you've ever needed."

"You don't know anything about me!" Sophia sniffled, beginning to cry.

"I know enough," Callie retorted.

Robert, who had heard the action play itself out, rushed into the room. "Sophie, honey. Go on upstairs and splash some cool water on your face. We'll have dinner in a little bit." He kissed her forehead, and guided her toward the stairs. Once she was gone, he turned his attention to his oldest daughter. "Callie, are you okay? Do you want to talk?"

"No," she said. "But thanks." She hurried to the privacy of the den, as far from her sister as possible. Flopping down on the couch, she wanted so badly to scream that she felt as if her chest might burst. She felt guilty for blowing up at Sophia. She knew it wasn't completely undeserved, but still, she felt awful.

She brushed her tears away when she heard a knock at the door, and Robert let himself in. "Callie, honey?"

She sighed. "Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get so mad. I just... I didn't like what she said."

"Neither did I," he admitted. He came closer and sat down beside her. "And I'm sorry. I'm going to talk to her about it. She's just at that age..." He gave her a sympathetic look. "I just wanted to make sure you're okay." he rubbed his temples, his expression serious. "Sweetheart, I don't know all that you've been through, but I wish you'd open up to me."

"I don't want to talk about it," she said, firmly.

"I just want to understand," he sighed. "At least tell me this. It wasn't Donald who- _hurt_\- you, was it?" His voice cracked on the word "hurt."

"No!" Callie shook her head. Donald wasn't a perfect father by any means; he'd spent most of her childhood in a bar, getting drunk. But he'd never laid a hand on her or Jude. "It wasn't him."

"Good," he nodded. "That's a relief." He looked up at her, and tears shone in his eyes. "But that doesn't make it right. No parent wants to hear that his child's been abused."

He looked so sad, that Callie's heart went out to him. "I don't want to talk about it right now," she told him quietly. "But maybe eventually I will."

He lifted his head up and shook it slowly. "And I'll be there to listen."

**To Be Continued**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7.

Sitting in her room, Callie's ear perked up. She lifted her head to listen to the voices coming from downstairs. One was Robert's. One was Sophia's; she sounded upset. The last voice was definitely a grown woman's. It had to be Jill. She had been absent for several days. Had she come back?

Suddenly the distant talking quieted, and she heard the door close hard. Then, footsteps running up the stairs. It was Sophia, going into her room and slamming the door behind her.

Callie set her homework aside; it wasn't like her to do her homework on a Friday night, but she didn't want to have it looming over her on the weekend of the camping trip. Sliding of her bed, she went downstairs to investigate, under the pretense of getting a snack. When she arrived in the kitchen, Jill was already gone. She could hear her car leaving the driveway.

Robert was slumped over the kitchen table, his face in his hands. His shoulders were shaking; he was crying.

"Robert?" she said softly. "Are- are you okay?"

He looked up at her. He sighed, shakily. "Jill moved out tonight."

Callie winced. "How's Sophia?"

"She's in her room," he said quietly. "She took it pretty hard." He closed his eyes and sobbed, a deep gasping sob. Callie then knew what Brandon had meant, when he said it had scared him to see Mike cry. She'd never seen a man cry like that before.

Without thinking twice, she went to Robert's side and placed her hand on his shoulder, trying to reassure him. He placed his hand over hers, squeezing it, before taking her in his arms and hugging her. She encircled his neck, letting him hold her.

"I'll be fine," he breathed into her hair, probably trying to convince himself more than her. "I don't want you to worry. You girls come first to me. I'm always going to be there for you."

Callie nodded. "I know."

He pressed a kiss to her head. "I love you, sweetheart." He let her go, gripping her arms. "Go ahead and get ready for bed. It's getting late, and you have a big day tomorrow."

* * *

Callie took a long shower, knowing it would be her last one for a three-day weekend. The hot, steamy water beat the tension from her shoulders and cleared her head. She shivered as she got out, drying herself off, then putting on her pajamas and running a comb through her wet hair. From the room next door, she could hear the soft sound of her sister crying. This time, she couldn't ignore her big-sister instincts.

"Sophia?" She tiptoed into the young girl's room. Sophia was sprawled on her bed, her face buried in her pillow.

She looked up, her tears sparkling in the dark. "My mom left."

Callie nodded grimly. "I know. I heard." She sighed sadly. "Are you okay? Do you want me to sleep in here?"

"Will you?" she whispered, hopeful. "I mean, you don't have to."

"Move over," she said, climbing into bed. She settled under the covers, beside her sister.

"Why are you being nice to me?" Sophia asked. "I thought you hate me. You said I wasn't your sister."

Sighing, Callie wrapped her arm around the younger girl and pulled her close. "I don't hate you.," she told her. "And I didn't mean all the mean things I said. I was just mad. Haven't you ever said things you didn't mean when you were upset?"

Sophia nodded, fresh tears leaking from her dark eyes. "Yeah."

"I'm really sorry," Callie admitted. "I wish I could take it all back."

"You do?"

"Yes. If I'd known you were going through so much, I wouldn't have been so hard on you. You're just a kid. It's just... I miss Jude, and, I guess it was easy to take it out on you. But I was wrong."

"I didn't mean to ruin your life," Sophia confided. "I just wanted a sister so much. A sister is like a built-in best friend. But now I have no one."

"You have me," Callie assured her, brushing back her hair. "I know I haven't been the most approachable person, but you _can_ come to me. Okay?"

Sophia nodded, resting her head against Callie's shoulder. "Can we just start over? I want to be friends."

"I'd love to start over," she replied, wrapping her in a hug. Sophia hugged her back, eager for comfort. "I'll sleep in here with you every night," she whispered. "For as long as you need me. I'll even stay home from the camping trip if you want me to."

"You would do that for me?" Sophia asked, surprised. "Why?"

"Because I love you," she told her. "And that's what big sisters are for."

Sophia was quiet for a moment. "I don't want you to miss the camping trip, Callie. You've been looking forward to it."

Internally, she let out a sigh of relief; she truly did want to go on the trip. "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure."

"Thanks," she said back.

"I love you, Callie," Sophia whispered.

Callie pressed her lips to Sophia's cheek. "I love you too. Now go to sleep. I'm right here."

Nodding, Sophia snuggled in beside her. Callie closed her eyes, rubbing her little sister's arm, trying to sooth her in the silence.

"Callie?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you think you and I will ever be as close as you and Jude are?"

She opened her eyes and mulled it over. "I don't know. Jude and I have been through so much together. For a long time, we were each other's only family. I've always been more like a mother to him." She paused. "Maybe we can't be close _exactly_ like Jude and I are, but we can be close in a different way."

"I like that," she said. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

* * *

Callie awoke bright and early the next morning, and Robert drove her to the campsite to meet the Fosters. He walked with her until he was a few feet away from them, and then he wrapped her in a bear-hug. "Have fun, sweetheart," he said. "And be safe."

"I will," she promised with a nod.

He bent down and kissed her cheek. "I love you, honey. I'll see you soon."

"Okay," she replied. "Bye."

He waved as she turned and walked away, and he waited until she was safely with Stef and Lena before getting in his car and going home. Callie didn't expect to feel a pang of homesickness as she watched him drive away. But she did.

Stef and Lena greeted her in their usual way, as if they hadn't seen her for a year. Her lonely feelings evaporated once she was in their arms.

"We're so glad you could come, love," Stef smiled. She gave her a kiss, then drew back in for another hug.

"We miss you, sweets," Lena added.

"I miss you guys too," Callie told them. She turned to Jude and threw her arms around him. "And I especially miss you." She tousled his hair and kissed the tip of his nose.

"Well," we have a little hike before we get to our campsite," Stef announced. "So we better go over the checklist one more time and then get going." She held up a clipboard and began looking over their supplies.

"Hey, beautiful," said Brandon, when no one was looking. He put his arms around her waist and leaned in to kiss her.

Suddenly, Callie felt shy. She ducked away from his kiss. "Brandon, not here."

"You're right," he sighed, glancing back at the family. He winked. "Later."

Just then, Stef turned to them. "Alright, let's get going."

Callie followed her family down the dirt path. The first half of the walk was slow and easy. Callie found herself matching steps with Mariana and Jude. "This is gonna be so much fun," Jude told her enthusiastically. "Mama brought stuff for s'mores, and we can swim in the lake."

"I've never been camping before," Callie admitted.

"Don't let him fool you," Mariana piped up. "Camping is the worst. It's bugs, and dirt, and sweat," she counted off on her fingers. "Sub-standard bathrooms, no beds, and to top it all off, I have cramps."

"Oh, you know you love it," Lena laughed. "You cried your eyes out the year we didn't go, when you were ten."

"Well, I didn't know any better back then," she pouted.

"What's with the whistles?" Callie asked, noticing the bright plastic objects that hung around everyone's necks but hers.

"Oh! I almost forgot," said Stef. She handed Callie an orange whistle on a lanyard. "Wear this, and blow on it if you get lost, so we can find you."

"Thanks," she smiled, slipping the whistle over her head.

After arriving at their destination, they spent the better part of the morning unpacking and setting up camp. By the time late afternoon came, Stef and Jesus had started a campfire. They sat around it, warming themselves and eating the hotdogs they'd cooked. Callie sat next to Brandon. In the growing darkness, he slipped his hand into hers and squeezed it.

Jude told a scary story that was boring, and Jesus told one that was gross. Callie found herself huddled closer to Brandon as Jesus spoke, the flashlight casting eerie shadows on his face.

Before they headed to their tents that night, Brandon took Callie aside. "Let's sneak out later."

Callie looked back at the darkness of the woods and shivered; she knew there were bears out there, and who knew what else. But she wanted to spend time with her boyfriend. She'd hardly had a minute alone with him all day. "Okay," she whispered with a smile. "After moms go to bed."

He nodded. "I'll meet you by the restrooms."

**To Be Continued**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8.

"Where are you going?" Mariana whispered, lifting her head up from her pillow.

Callie turned to her, startled. "Uh, to the bathroom."

"Oh," she said. "Hold on. I'll go with you."

"N-no," Callie stammered. "I'll be fine. Really." The last thing she wanted was a chaperone on her romantic meeting with Brandon.

"Moms said we have to go in pairs," Mariana insisted. "It's okay. I don't mind." She started to get up.

"Wait," Callie sighed. She had to tell her the truth. She had no choice. "Look, can you keep a secret?"

"Depends on what it is..."

"Brandon and I are back together," she admitted. "We want to spend some time alone, and we haven't come out to the family yet. I'm going to meet him. Please, Mariana. I need this... don't narc on me."

Mariana sat back down, an expression of concern on her face. "Well, I guess technically you won't be alone..."

"Please," she pleaded again.

"Okay," Mariana finally nodded. "Have fun, and remember to use protection."

Callie rolled her eyes. "Thanks. I owe you."

"I'll hold you to it," Mariana teased. "Now... can I get back to my beauty sleep?"

"Of course," Callie laughed. "See you later." She slipped out of the tent, into the darkening night, her flashlight guiding her. The short walk to the restrooms was filled with long shadows and strange sounds. She hurried, looking out for anyone who might be awake. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Brandon just ahead, waiting for her.

"There you are," he breathed, leaning in to kiss her. "I was starting to think you weren't coming."

"I wouldn't not come," she told him. She would go to the ends of the earth for Brandon.

"Come on," he said, clasping her hand in his. "Let's take a walk."

She let him lead her down a path that took them to the lake. They walked along the shoreline until they reached a small dock, slightly concealed by trees. The moon reflected on the dark water, and stars twinkled in the velvety sky. "It's beautiful here," she breathed.

"Yeah," he said, tossing a stone into the water and creating an explosion of ripples. "You can see a lot more stars here than at home."

Callie put her hand back in his and looked upward. She tried to count each sparkling dot, but she couldn't. It was impossible. She turned to him, and put her arms around his neck, looking into his eyes. "Brandon, I love you," she said, quietly, as if her voice might interrupt the stillness all around them. "I'm sorry I wouldn't kiss you earlier. I wanted to."

"It's okay," he replied. "I get it." He swept back a chunk of her hair that had loosened from her messy ponytail. "I love you too."

"I wouldn't mind if you kissed me now," she told him, hiding her smile. Brandon nodded, and leaned in, cradling the back of her head with his hand as their lips met.

When they parted, Brandon kicked his shoes and socks off, then sat down on the dock, imploring her to do the same. She did, dipping her feet into the lake; it was still fairly warm from the sun beating down on it all day. They kicked their legs in the water for a while, then Brandon took her in his arms and kissed her hard, their noses smushing against each other's cheeks. Soon, they were laying parallel on the dock, kissing hungrily, their hands running down each other's bodies and tangling in each other's hair.

"Let's go for a swim," Brandon panted, his lips swollen.

Callie raised an eyebrow. "We don't have our suits."

"Actually, I was thinking we could go skinny dipping," he said. Even in the dark, Callie could tell he was blushing. "If you don't want to, it's okay," he assured her. "No pressure."

She sat up and looked out at the water. "It's kind of cliche," she laughed. "But I guess it would be fun."

Brandon stood up and pulled his shirt over his head, exposing his toned chest. Then, he dropped his shorts. Callie shrugged, then kicked of her own shorts and tossed her t-shirt on top of the growing pile of discarded clothes. They stared at each other, dressed only in their underwear.

"You okay?" he asked, his face shadowed with concern.

"Yeah," she nodded. "So far." And she was, in her modest panties and bra.

Brandon nodded, then tugged his boxers down, letting them drop to his ankles. He was now completely naked, and Callie couldn't help but let her eyes travel downward to his penis. Her cheeks burned.

With a sigh, she struggled out of her bra, then slid her underpants down her thighs. Her heart sped up, and her breath caught in her throat for a moment when it hit her that she was stark naked, and completely vulnerable to Brandon. But she swallowed her anxiety. He would never take advantage of her. He stood a few feet away, studying her up and down, just as she had done to him.

"I'll go in first," he said. He took a few running steps, then dove into the water. When he surfaced, he held his arms out to her. "Jump, Callie. I'll catch you."

She took a deep breath, then followed him into the water.

It was invigorating on her skin; cool, but not freezing. She felt her skin tighten and her nipples harden. Brandon did catch her, loosely holding her around the waist. "I've never felt so free," she said, kicking to stay afloat.

"Agreed," Brandon smiled, pulling her closer for a kiss. Their bodies bobbed against each other, and Callie could feel him, hardening against her stomach. She wrapped her legs around his torso as they kissed again, until they started to sink. She let go of him, and they rose back up again.

"You're so beautiful, Callie," Brandon whispered, his hand on her hips. "Do you have any idea how gorgeous you are?"

She held onto him, resting her chin on his shoulder. "Do you seriously want me to answer?"

"No," he laughed. "I'm just... in awe."

Speechless, she lifted her head up and studied his face, the water droplets caught in his eyelashes. His face was so serious, his green eyes sparkling from the reflection of the water. Wanting to lighten the mood, she reached down and splashed him, a devilish grin playing on her lips.

Taken aback, Brandon chuckled, then sent a rainfall of water at her. She held her arms up to block it, although it was pointless, considering she was already soaked. They splashed each other for a little longer, trying to stay as quiet as possible, containing their giggles.

"I'm getting cold," she finally gasped, her teeth chattering.

Brandon nodded. "Here. Let's get out." He climbed up on the dock, then held his hand out to help her.

Once she was safely standing before him, she let herself sneak a peek down at him again.

"In my defense, that water was cold," he joked, following her gaze. He bent down to open his bag. "I brought towels." He tossed her one.

"So you had this all planned?" she giggled, her teeth chattering.

"I thought it would be fun," he shrugged, helping her wrap the big beach towel around her. "Something to cross off our bucket lists."

They went to the grass, where it was warmer, and laid down, huddled under their towels. Brandon kissed her, and next thing she knew, they were making out. She sighed with pleasure as he trailed wet kisses down her neck, sucking the tender skin.

"Brandon," she breathed, her blood pounding in her ears.

"Hmm?" he muttered.

"I want you to do... something..." she winced as he nipped at her neck. "To me."

"Like what?" he whispered, looking up.

She didn't want to go all the way. Not yet. But she was definitely horny. "Suck my nipples."

Brandon nodded, and dipped his head down, kissing her breasts thoroughly before taking a tip between his lips. He suckled it gently, so careful not to hurt her. She ran her fingertips down his back, excitement coursing through her. She moaned softly when his mouth left one side and moved to the other. "Th-that feels good," she managed to choke out.

When they both had enough, he rolled away. "It's getting late, baby. We better get dressed and head back now."

Callie was sorry to see their meeting end, but she knew it was well after midnight. "You're right." She grabbed her clothes, and began to get dressed. He did the same. Just as she was tying her shoes, she heard a loud rustling, the snapping of twigs, in the thicket nearby. The thicket that stood between them and the campsite. A small bear cub walked into the beam of light coming from Brandon's flashlight and sniffed around.

Brandon shot up like a bullet and grabbed Callie's hand, signaling for her not to talk. "Where there's a cub, there's a mother," he whispered, his eyes wide.

"Omigod," she breathed, panicked. The last thing she wanted was to be mauled to death.

"On the count of three, run," he said. "One... two... three." Gripping each other's hands, they made a run for it toward the woods without looking back.

Callie followed him blindly, her heart racing so loud and hard that she thought Brandon must be able to hear it.

"I don't think it followed us," Brandon finally panted, his hands shaking, causing the beam of the small light to sway unsteadily.

"I'm scared," Callie whispered, bending over to catch her breath. "What do we do?"

"We need to find our way back to the campsite," he told her. They looked around. Everywhere they turned was trees. Everything looked the same.

Callie wasn't sure how far they had run, but they'd run quite a long way, weaving through the trees, desperately trying to lose the bear. She couldn't even see the lake shining in the distance. And she'd dropped her own flashlight back at the dock, so all they had was the diminutive light Brandon was holding. With a sinking feeling, she turned to him. "We're lost, aren't we?"

He didn't answer. He didn't have to. He pulled her into a protective hug and kissed her damp hair, then the middle of her forehead. "I don't want you to worry, Cal. The important thing is that we're safe. We'll find our way back."

An owl whoo'd in the distance and she shivered, remembering Jesus's ghost story. She buried her face in Brandon's chest. She felt like crying, but she had to be brave.

**To Be Continued- Happy Valentine's Day!**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9.

"Brandon, what do we do?" Callie begged, looking desperately into his eyes.

He sighed, thinking their situation over. He was a city boy through-and-through, even if he had gone camping every Summer with his family. "We don't want to get even more lost," he said. "Maybe we should just stay put until morning, then try to find our way back at first light."

That sounded reasonable. Reluctantly, she agreed. "Okay... as long as we don't see any more bears."

"Callie, I'm sorry," he apologized. "This is all my fault. I just wanted to spend time with you, but I never meant for this to happen. We should have just stayed in our tents."

Callie bit her lip, studying his sullen expression. "Don't apologize, Brandon. Tonight was... the most exciting night of my life."

He smiled a little, then bent down to kiss her. "Let's rest for a little while." He sat down on the damp leaves and moss. "Come here." Callie sat down between his legs, and he wrapped his arms around her waist. "Don't be scared, Cal. Everything's gonna be okay. It'll be daylight in a few hours." He kissed her neck, near the hickey he'd made earlier, and she shivered.

"Are you cold?" he asked. Her hair was drying in soft curls around her face.

"A little," she admitted.

He picked up her wet towel and dried her hair the best he could, then he enfolded her in a tight hug, trying to keep her warm. As Callie lay against him, surrounded by him, she thought back once again to when she'd first arrived at the campsite and refused his kiss. It was silly, now that she thought about it. "Brandon," she said.

"Hmm?"

"Remember when you said that there's nothing standing between us now?"

"Yeah," he nodded.

"Well, you were right," she said. "There isn't. And if we make it out of here alive-"

"Which we _will_," he interrupted.

"I don't want to hide our relationship from everyone," she finished. "There's no reason to. I love you, and I'm glad you're my boyfriend."

"I love you too," he told her, pressing a kiss to the back of her head. "More than anything. And I don't want to hide either. We'll tell them we're together, and then we can have a normal relationship. We'll go on dates, and to school dances. We'll hold hands and kiss in public. And next year, we'll go to prom together."

"That sounds great," she smiled. The feeling a freedom she'd had when she first jumped into the lake naked had returned. "It sounds perfect."

"Why don't you try to sleep a little?" Brandon suggested. "I'm right here. I'll keep a lookout."

She yawned, resting her head against his chest, wishing she'd worn warmer clothes. "I don't know if I'll be able to sleep," she said. She closed her eyes anyway, feeling safe in his arms. He threw the towel over their legs to act as a blanket. And slowly, she nodded off.

* * *

Mariana woke up early to the smell of bacon cooking. She could hear her moms and Jude talking just outside. Yawning, she rolled over to wake up Callie. But when she turned, Callie wasn't there. Hazily, she thought back to the night before, and how Callie had sneaked out. Had she ever come back?

"Don't panic," she told herself. "She probably got up before me." She crawled out of her sleeping bag and unzipped the tent, hurrying to the campfire.

"Good morning, Miss Thing," Stef smiled. "Is Callie still sleeping?"

"You mean she's not here?" Mariana gasped. Her stomach dropped and she felt dizzy.

"Honey, what's going on?" Lena asked. "Where is Callie?"

She hugged herself nervously. "She- she went out last night, to meet Brandon."

"What?" Stef asked, standing up. "Explain, please."

Mariana told them everything that had happened the night before. "I thought she'd be okay," she concluded. "I mean, she was going to be with Brandon, so they technically did go out in pairs. I'm sorry, moms. I didn't mean for anything bad to happen."

"Don't worry, sweets," Lena sighed. "We'll take care of it."

Stef jogged to the boys tent and opened the flap. "Brandon?" Jesus lay sleeping, curled up in a fetal position. Brandon was nowhere in sight. "We have to go look for them," she breathed. "Mariana, can you get breakfast for the boys?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "I've got it."

"Thanks," she said.

"Let's check by the bathrooms first," Lena offered, following her wife. They went inside the dank building and called out, checking the stalls.

"They're not in here," Stef sighed. "We'll have to look further, near the woods and the lake." They hurried out toward the water.

"They were here," Lena said, pointing. "There's Callie's flashlight."

Stef bent down to pick it up when noticed the animal prints in the mud. "Something else was here," she concluded, turning to her wife. She touched one of the paw prints lightly. "Maybe a bear?"

"Oh my gosh," Lena breathed. "The kids. You don't think...?"

"There would be blood," Stef pointed out, trying to seem braver than she felt. "They probably got scared and ran off. We need to check the woods."

They rushed toward the trees, looking around wildly. "Brandon!" Stef shouted. "Callie! Kids?" They held still, waiting, but there was no answer.

"Callie, Brandon!" Lena called.

They wandered around a little longer. "We're going to have to call a park ranger," Stef finally decided. "And Robert." She wasn't looking forward to making that call.

They hurried back to the campsite, and Stef dug their phone out of her bag. She handed Lena's cell to her. "You get the park rangers, I'll call Robert." She turned away, and dialed his number.

"Hello?" Robert answered, groggily.

"Robert, this is Stef Foster," Stef told him, trying to stay calm.

"Callie..." he breathed, panic in his voice. "Is she okay?"

Stef took a deep breath. "Callie and Brandon sneaked off during the night, and they haven't come back. We're going out to look for them again, and we're calling the park rangers."

"Oh god," Robert sighed. "My baby." He felt an ache in his chest, a sign of a panic attack. "How could you let this happen? I trusted you with her!"

"Robert, calm down," Stef ordered. "I had no idea they went out. Teenagers do reckless things, and Callie is no exception. Not by a long-shot. They're probably just lost. We'll find them."

"I'm coming to help," he told her. "I'll be there as soon as I can."

* * *

"Okay. We've passed the tree like three times," Callie said, stopping in her tracks.

"How can you tell," Brandon wondered. "They all look the same."

"It's got that weird bent branch," she pointed out. "I remember it."

"Which means we're going in circles," he concluded. He looked around for any landmark that might lead them back to their family. "You know what? Let's just walk straight in any direction. We'll have to find our way out of the woods eventually."

"But we don't know what direction we're going in," she sighed. "We could be going farther away."

"We have to try," he said. "It's the only thing I can come up with right now." He picked a random direction. "Let's go this way." Callie took his hand, and they walked together into the wilderness.

Brandon was looking straight ahead when his arm jerked and Callie fell to the ground. "Callie?" he said, crouching down. "Are you okay?"

She was in tears. "My foot is stuck," she sniffled. "Brandon, my ankle. It hurts."

He brushed some dead leaves away. Her foot was wedged in a shallow hole. "It looks like some kind of animal burrow," he said. Digging down, he cradled her heel in his hand and eased it out.

"Ouch!" she screamed. Tears streamed down her cheeks.

Untying her shoe, Brandon pulled it off, then rolled her sock down. Her ankle was already swelling in his hand. "Can you wiggle your toes?"

She managed to wiggle them, wincing. "Yes, but it hurts."

He got up and held his arms out. "Try to stand." She tried, sobbing as she put weight on it.

"I don't think I can walk," she said.

Brandon rubbed her back, supporting her. "Hey, don't cry, Callie."

"It hurts a lot."

He scratched his head thoughtfully. They had to find their way back, now more than ever. "Get on my back."

Callie looked at him, confused, so he bent at the waist. "Climb on. I'll give you a piggyback ride."

Reluctantly, she wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, and he stood up. He began to walk, stumbling under the extra weight. she wasn't too heavy, but the day was already getting hot, and he was exhausted.

"I need to rest," he finally admitted, after they'd been walking for a while. He set her down gently. Cradling her in his lap, he lovingly rocked her.

"It hurts like hell," she moaned, reaching down to touch her hot, tight skin. Her ankle was an ugly purple.

"I don't think it's broken," Brandon said, massaging it gently. He hugged her close, kissing her sweaty forehead. "I'm so sorry, baby. I feel terrible. I never meant for anything bad to happen to you."

"It wasn't your fault," she breathed. "Don't worry about it."

"But I feel like it is..." he said. Then, his head jerked up. "I thought I hear something. Did you hear that?"

"No," she said, straining her ears.

"Callie! Brandon!" A man's voice carried through the woods.

"We're here!" Brandon called out.

"Keep calling!" a voice answered in the distance.

Callie suddenly remembered the whistle that hung around her neck. She picked it up and blew hard, over and over. At last, Robert appeared, twisting through the trees.

"Callie!" he shouted, running over. "I was so worried. Are you kids okay?'

"I twisted my ankle," she sobbed. "I can't walk on it."

Robert crouched down and caressed her ankle. She cried out when he pressed on it. "Okay," he said. "We're not far from camp. I'm gonna carry you." He picked her up, cradling her effortlessly in his arms. Callie clung to him, hugging his neck.

"Don't cry, baby girl," he soothed. "You're safe now. Daddy's got you. Daddy's here."

To weak to do anything else, Callie relaxed against him. Soon, the camp was in sight.

Stef and Lena ran to them, as well as Jude. "Oh, Brandon, Callie," Stef sighed, as she and her wife reached out to hug and kiss them. "You scared us half to death."

"We're sorry," Callie sniffled. "There was a bear. We ran, and we got lost."

"She turned her ankle," Robert explained. "I'm going to take her to the hospital."

"I'm sorry," she cried. "I ruined the whole camping trip."

"No, lovey," Stef insisted. "We don't care about that. We're just relieved that you've been found. We were so worried." She pressed a kiss to Callie's cheek. "Go, honey. Get your ankle looked at."

"Can I go too?" Jude pleaded. "Please?"

"Sure, buddy," Robert nodded. "If it's okay with your moms."

"Go ahead, sweetheart," Lena said, nudging him forward.

Robert carried Callie to his car and helped her in. "Keep your ankle still, honey," he said. "You're going to be fine. Just fine."

**To Be Continued- please keep reading and reviewing!  
**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10.

Callie wasn't released from the emergency room until late that evening. After dropping her off at home and helping her upstairs, Robert drove Jude home to the Fosters'. The family had decided to end their camping trip early, after Jesus had broken out with a case of poison ivy.

"Here we are, son," Robert said, turning to Jude and patting his shoulder. "I'll walk you to the door. I want to have a word with your mom." He followed the young boy up the porch steps and rang the bell.

"Robert," Stef said, once she answered. "How's Callie?"

"She has a sprained ankle," he explained. "She's on crutches for a little while. I left her off at house so she could rest."

"Poor baby," Stef sighed. "I have her things right here." She handed him Callie's duffel bag and sleeping bag.

"Thanks... listen, I was wondering if I could speak to you," he said. "Just for a minute."

She nodded, then grabbed Jude's shoulder. "Go on in and get cleaned up, love. Dinner's almost ready."

"Okay," he said, before walking away.

Robert looked down at his shoes. "I want to apologize for the way I spoke to you on the phone this morning. I'm sorry if I made it sound like I was blaming you for what happened."

"Well, thank you," she said, taken aback. "I understand, though. I would have been frantic, too. I _was_ frantic."

"Still," he sighed, "I know it wasn't your fault. It's just... after nearly losing one child..."

"I get it," Stef nodded, solemnly.

"Callie means so much to me," he told her. "She's all I have left of her mother. And I love her so much."

"She's a special little girl," Stef said softly.

"That, she is." He stuck his hands in his pockets. "Anyway, I just wanted to make sure there were no hard feelings."

"Don't worry about it," she said, smiling politely. "Give her our love?"

"I will," he nodded.

* * *

"Hey, honey," said Robert, entering Callie's room. "I just wanted to let you know I'm home. So. How are you feeling?"

"It hurts a little," Callie admitted, looking down at her throbbing ankle. "But I've felt worse pain."

Her father frowned thoughtfully. "Can I get you anything? A drink, a snack?"

"I'm good," she said. "But thanks."

"At least let me fix your pillows," he insisted.

She sat up a little and let her father fluff the pillows she was resting on. "There you go, princess."

"Thanks," she smiled.

"I was wondering if we could talk a minute," he said, sitting down.

Callie shrugged. "Sure. I guess so. But listen... I'm sorry about what happened. Brandon and I just wanted to hang out, and we weren't far from camp, just down by the lake. But we ran when we saw the bear, and Brandon protected me the whole time. We didn't mean to get lost."

Robert held up his hands to stop her. "It's okay, honey. You're not in trouble."

"I'm not?"

"No," he said. "I'm just glad you're okay. I was... scared... when I heard you were missing. I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to you, sweetheart. I love you so much." He held out the bundle he was holding. "I finally got around to finding your mom's things yesterday. I thought you might enjoy looking at them while you're laid up."

Callie chewed her lip, studying the bundle of envelopes quietly. "There's something I've been wanting to ask you..."

"Anything."

"I want to know the truth," she sighed. "Donald told me that you left mom when you found out she was pregnant. But you said you didn't know about me. Sometimes, I don't know who to believe."

Robert nodded; he'd been expecting that question for a while. "I don't know why your mother told Donald what she did," he said. "But she must have had her reasons. But I promise you that I absolutely did not know about you. Colleen and I wanted kids. We talked about it all the time. If I'd known she was pregnant, I wouldn't have let anyone come between us." He drew her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. "And that's the truth."

"How did you and mom meet?" Callie asked. "What happened between you guys?"

Taking a breath, Robert began to tell her the whole story, from the beginning, when he was just twenty-years-old, home for break from grad school, and how he was served onion rings at the beach club by a beautiful, brown-eyed waitress. "It was love at first sight," he smiled. "She was so different from anyone I grew up with. And you remind me so much of her. You have her sense of humor, her work ethic, her mannerisms... anyway, we fell in love, and we decided to elope."

He went on to tell her about their wedding, and how his parents didn't approve of the marriage, and the tremendous pressure they put on them. Then, he told her how he finally gave in when they had been married just over a month, and how he regretted it to that day. "I'll never love anyone the way I loved her," he confided. "She was my soul-mate."

Callie nodded soberly, beginning to understand. "But didn't you ever try to get in touch with her again? I mean, didn't you want to know if she was okay?"

"I tried to call her once," he confided. "But some guy answered and wouldn't let me talk to her. I guess it was probably Donald. I figured she must have moved on, so I had to accept that your first love isn't always forever. I met Jill, got remarried, and had Sophia."

"Are you mad at mom for not telling you she was pregnant?" Callie wondered.

"Well," he sighed. "No. I can't say I blame her. If she had, my parents probably would have taken you from her. She was scared, honey. My parents are pretty scary." He laughed nervously. "You'll see for yourself, if or when you get to meet them." He squeezed her hand. "We both made mistakes, but we were so young."

Callie nodded, squeezing her eyes shut. Her heart was aching, so many emotions going through her head. But she knew one thing... her father's story had taught her about regret. She regretted a lot of things in her life. And suddenly, she realized she didn't want to regret never giving her father a chance. Especially after he'd saved her and Brandon, after he'd comforted her when she was hurting. "I- I want to apologize," she began. "For the way I've acted."

"You don't have to apologize-"

"No, I do," she interrupted. "I haven't always been nice to you. You're a good father, and I know you love me." She took a deep breath and looked him in the eye. "And I... I love you too."

Robert seemed to be in shock by her words. "Do you really mean that?"

"Yes," she said quietly. "And if it's okay with you, I'd like to call you dad."

Robert smiled, bringing out the laugh-lines at the corners of his eyes. "I would be honored if you called me dad, Callie. Oh honey, you don't know what this means to me."

He took her back in his arms and hugged her tight.

* * *

The next day, Callie lay in bed, looking over her mother's things for the hundredth time. There were pictures, but it was mostly love letters her mom had written to Robert when they were dating. She'd read them, studied them, so many times that she had entire paragraphs memorized.

She was interrupted by a knock on her bedroom door. "Yeah?"

"Callie," said Robert. "You have a visitor." Brandon stood behind him, holding a bouquet of flowers . "I suppose we can break the 'no boys in your room' rule just for today." He let Brandon in, then left, leaving the door open.

"Brandon," Callie breathed. "Come here."

He came over and leaned down to kiss her. She smiled against his lips. "I brought you some flowers," he said.

"Thank you." She breathed in their scent, then set them on the nightstand. "They're beautiful."

"How are you?" he asked, stroking her cheek. "You okay?"

"I'm good," she said. "Despite the sprained ankle. You?"

"I'm fine," he said, pressing a kiss to her nose. He pointed to the letters and pictures spread out on her bed. "What's this?"

"It's things my mom wrote to my dad," she explained. "Some of it kind of remind me of us."

Nodding, Brandon picked up a photo. "She was beautiful. She looked so much like you." He moved to the other side of the bed, snuggling her.

"Listen to this," she said, picking up one letter. "This is my favorite. It's about the day my parents engaged." She unfolded the stationary and began to read out loud a passage about how Robert had led Colleen to their secret place, the boathouse at the beach club, and proposed to her on one knee. She read about how excited her mother had been, how much she loved him, and her hopes for their future. When she was finished reading, she folded it and put it back in it's envelope.

"Wow," said Brandon. "Your mom sounded really sweet."

"She was," Callie beamed.

Brandon brushed his lips to her hair, kissing her.

"Brandon," she said quietly.

"Yeah?" He quickly pecked her lips.

"My dad told me that your first love isn't always forever. Do you think... do you think we'll still be together, years from now?"

He encircled her, stroking her hair. "I hope so. I can't imagine feeling the way I feel about you for anyone else. I want to love you forever."

She buried her face in his neck, inhaling the smell of his aftershave. "I want to love you forever, too."

**To Be Continued**


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11.

"B.? Can I talk to you for a minute?" Stef asked, looking into her son's room.

"Yeah," he shrugged. "Sure. Am I in trouble?"

Stef sighed. "Call me crazy, after the stunt you and Callie pulled, but no. I think you've both suffered enough." She sat down in the chair next to his desk.

"Well, thanks," he said, looking up from his computer. "So, what's up?"

"I actually wanted to talk to you about Callie," Stef began. "You were awfully quiet when you came home from Robert's. How's she feeling?"

Brandon shrugged again. "She seemed okay. Her ankle hurts, but she was happy. She loved the flowers, and Robert gave her all some old love letters that her mother wrote. We read some of them together. Her mother sounded really nice."

"Aww," said Stef. "I'm happy for her. She deserves something special, just for her." She leaned forward. "Now. Do you want to explain the giant hickey on her neck?"

"I knew this conversation was too easy," Brandon sighed. He turned his desk chair to face her. "The thing is, mom, Callie and still have feelings for each other. We agreed to be completely honest with everyone, since there's so reason we can't date now." He rung his hands together nervously. "I mean, there's nothing stopping us. She's not not getting adopted, so we decided to get back together."

Stef looked down sadly, then back up at her son. "You don't know that she's not getting adopted for sure, honey. Things could change..."

Brandon gave her a grieved look; he knew he had to tell his mother something she didn't want to hear. "I don't think they will. I think Callie is with her father to stay."

Stef gave him a confused look. "If she were given the option... I think she'd choose to come back to us."

"She would have, a few weeks ago," Brandon explained. "But things have changed between her and Robert. She loves him. And Robert loves _her_. I really don't think he's going to sign the adoption papers." He lowered his gaze, studying his shoes. "I'm sorry, mom."

Stef's eyes were damp, and she could barely meet his gaze. "I see."

Brandon rolled his chair over to her and gave her a hug. "Mom, you know Callie still loves you and Mama. Nothing can change that. I mean, I love Dad, even though I don't live with him."

"You're right," Stef nodded. "You're right." She dried her eyes with her sleeve. "So. You two are dating?"

Brandon gave her a sober look. "Is that okay?"

Stef nodded. "I know this is against my better judgement, but if you and Callie want to date, it's okay with me. Just promise me one thing."

"What?" Brandon asked, his curiosity piqued.

"Don't hurt her," she told him firmly. "I know that young love doesn't always last, but please don't break Callie's heart. Mama and I love her like a daughter, and we always want her to feel welcome in our home."

Brandon nodded solemnly. "I promise. And you don't have to worry... I'd never hurt Callie. I love her."

* * *

**Two Weeks Later:**

"You okay back there?" Brandon laughed. He'd picked Callie up from school that afternoon so they could spend some time together.

"Yeah... I'm coming," she said, limping slightly as she followed him into the Fosters' kitchen. Her sprained ankle was still healing, but she had to wear an ankle brace to support it for a little while longer.

She finally reached the kitchen, as Brandon opened the cupboard and rummaged through it, trying to find a snack. He found half a bag of marshmallows and set them on the counter. He took a marshmallow and popped it in Callie's mouth.

"Mm," she smiled, as he leaned in to kiss her. The house was quiet, which was rare.

"I love you," Brandon told her, stealing another kiss.

She laced her arms around his neck and pressed her forehead against his. "I love you too."

Brandon grabbed her thighs and lifted her onto the counter. He watched her take a marshmallow from the bag and put it between her lips. He took it from her with his mouth and kissed her again.

Brandon deepened the kiss, and Callie's legs wrapped around him. He kissed her hard, and with a little sigh, she parted her lips so he could gain entrance. As he ran his tongue along the seam of her cheek, he could feel her fingers running through his hair, clawing a little, and his scalp tingled with heat. When he needed to take a breath, he pulled away for a moment.

"Don't stop," Callie pleaded, pulling him back to her hungrily.

He kissed her mouth, then dragged his lips down her neck, kissing and sucking just below her ear; it was her favorite spot. She moaned softly, melting in his arms.

Suddenly Callie's body went rigid in his arms when they heard someone clearing their throat behind them.

Brandon turned to see his mother standing there, holding a bag of groceries.

"Oh. Hi, guys," she said, looking uncomfortable. "I'm sorry for interrupting."

"Don't worry about it," said Callie, sliding off the counter with Brandon's help, and landing on her good foot.

Stef set the grocery bag down and held her arms out. "You come here, Slug-a-bug." Callie walked into her embrace, and Stef hugged her. "We miss you, love," she said, as she planted a tender kiss on her cheek. "How's that ankle of yours doing?"

"It's getting there," Callie told her. "It hardly hurts at all."

"That's good to hear," Stef said, as Jude came into the kitchen, carrying another bag. Callie gave him a hug and a kiss.

"Can I help you unpack the groceries?" she asked Stef.

"Sure, baby," Stef nodded. Then, she caught Brandon's disappointed look. "On second thought, why don't you guys go ahead and hang out."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course," she said. "Go have fun." She narrowed her gaze. "But not _too_ much fun." She gave Callie one more kiss before letting her go.

Callie followed Brandon to the backyard, and they sat down on the porch swing. He put his arm around her, and she rested her head on his shoulder. The chains on the swing creaked as they gently rocked, back and forth. "So, I have something to ask you," he said, tracing his finger along her collarbone.

"Yeah?" she asked.

"There's a school dance coming up in a few weeks," he said. "I was wondering if you would go with me?"

Callie looked up and smiled, her eyes sparkling. "Why do you even have to ask?"

He pressed a kiss to her hair. "I know, but I thought you'd like to be asked anyway."

She nodded, her curls bouncing. "Brandon, I would love to go with you." She craned her neck to kiss his cheek. "Thanks."

They were about to kiss again when Lou came up the walk. "Damn it," Brandon mumbled. "What's with all the interruptions."

Lou's face dropped when she saw Callie. "Oh. You're here."

"Nice to see you too," she replied under her breath.

"What are you doing here?" Brandon asked.

"I just wanted to drop off these new lyrics for the song we were working on," Lou told him, ignoring Callie. She thrust a stack of notebook paper at Brandon. "That is, if I'm still in the band."

"You are," Callie jumped in. She glanced over at Brandon. "I was just doing Brandon a favor. It was just a one-time thing. I swear. Someone's Little Sister is _your_ band, Lou."

"I feel so honored," Lou said, rolling her eyes sarcastically.

"Don't be like that," Brandon sighed. "I asked Callie to fill in for you."

Lou opened her mouth, ready to respond, when Callie saw Robert and Sophia pull into the driveway. She jumped up from the swing. "My dad's here. I've gotta go." She bent down to kiss Brandon, quickly.

"Hey," he said, looking into her eyes. "I love you."

"I love you too," she nodded, giving him a hug. "Call you later." She turned and walked to Robert's car.

"Hey, honey," said Robert, as she ducked into the back seat. "Did you have a good time?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "Brandon asked me to a dance at Anchor Beach. It's in a few weeks. Is it okay if I go?"

"Sure," he said. "You should have your brace off by then."

"Thanks," she smiled. "I'll- I'll need a dress, though." She still felt uncomfortable asking Robert for things, even though she knew he could afford them and was more than willing to buy her anything she needed.

"A dress, huh?"

"You don't have to get me one if you don't want to," she told him, though she had to force the words to come out. "I understand."

"Well, you can't go to a dance without a dress," he laughed. "I have to admit, though, I don't know much about buying dresses." He glanced back at her from the driver's seat and winked. "What do you say we ask Stef and Lena to take you shopping?"

Callie sucked in her breath, happily. "I'd love that. Thanks, dad."

Robert looked back again and smiled. "You're welcome, sweetheart."

* * *

Callie stood in the Foster's living room, wearing her new dress. It was a pale, silvery blue. She'd picked it out the week before, when she, Stef, Lena, and Mariana had gone shopping together. And earlier that day, Robert had even let her get her hair done for the dance.

"You look beautiful, baby," Lena said, holding her camera.

"She really does," Robert nodded. He smiled at Stef and Lena. "You ladies know how to pick out a dress. I'm glad I left it up to you."

"It was our pleasure," Stef said, smiling sadly. She'd been in a funk ever since she and Brandon had discussed his doubts about Callie getting adopted, but she was trying hard not to show it for Callie's sake.

"And they say girls take forever to get dressed," Mariana said, rolling her eyes. "The dance will be over by the time Brandon and Jesus get down here."

"Boys, hurry along!" Stef called up the stairs.

"You look great too," Callie told Mariana. Mariana had a coral colored gown on that she'd bought the same day.

"Thanks," Mariana smiled, as the boys finally came down the stairs, dressed in their suits.

Brandon paused when he saw Callie. "Wow," he breathed. "You look... wow."

Callie laughed and gave him a hug.

"Let me get a picture of you two," Robert said. "And then I'll be on my way."

Brandon and Callie stood together, his arm around her waist, and smiled as Robert snapped a few pictures. He put his camera away, then reached out to hug his daughter. "Have fun, sweetheart. And be careful."

She nodded. "I will, dad. Thanks."

He pressed his lips to her cheek. "I love you, honey."

Callie hugged him tighter, avoiding the hurt look on Stef's face. "I love you too."

Robert turned to Brandon. "Have her home by eleven?"

Stepping forward, Brandon shook his hand. "Yes, sir."

* * *

The dance was over, and Brandon and Callie were on their way home. Brandon glanced at the clock on his dashboard. It was still early. "Let's go somewhere," he said.

"Where?" Callie asked from the passenger's seat.

"Somewhere where we can be alone," he offered. "We never get to be alone at the house. I know a good place." He turned onto a side road that went uphill most of the way, and when they finally came to a park.

Sitting in the dark, Callie leaned against him, and he bent down to kiss her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back. They made out for a little while, constricted by the car seats, when Brandon, finally growing frustrated, climbed into the back and put the seats down. "Come back here," he said. "It's more comfortable." He took her hand and helped her over the seat in her long dress.

Once she was laying beside him, Callie took his face between her hands and kissed him hard.

"You were the most beautiful girl at the dance," he said, pressing a few more kisses to her lips. "I couldn't take my eyes off of you."

She blushed. "Thank you."

Brandon leaned in again, dipping his tongue into the heat of her mouth, while reaching under her dress to touch her thigh. Callie's heart raced, and she felt a gush of wetness between her legs as he sprinkled kisses over her cleavage.

"Brandon," she breathed, as she began to undo his tie. "I want you." Her own words, and the lust in her voice, surprised her.

"I want you too, Callie," he sighed, his mouth leaving her skin. He stroked her arm lovingly. "But we need to think about this first."

"I did," she said. "I love you, and I want to be with you."

"I know," he nodded. "I just... I don't want what happened between you and Wyatt to happen between us. I don't want you ever to feel afraid of me."

Callie sucked in her breath, remembering the terror she had felt with Wyatt. "I don't think I could ever feel that way with you, Brandon." She pressed her forehead to his, trying to hide her disappointment. "So, we're never going to have sex?"

"I want to," Brandon told her, trying not to let his hormones cloud his judgement. "Believe me, I want to. Just not now. Not here."

Callie sat up, hugging herself, a whisper of panic rising in her chest. "I don't want to be scared forever, Brandon. I want to know if I can do this."

Joining her, Brandon stroked her bare back thoughtfully. "Well, we've fooled around before, and you weren't scared then, were you?"

"Maybe a little," she admitted. "But not enough to stop." She looked up at him through damp eyes. "You're different. I feel safe with you. I trust you."

Brandon smiled. "I know that means a lot coming from you. After all you've been through? All the men in your life?"

She nodded. "If I can't trust you, who can I trust?"

"You can _always_ trust me," he said, looking into her eyes. He cupped his chin in her hand. "I would never hurt you."

"I know that," she said. She knew it deep down in her heart. "That's how I know I'm ready."

Pulling her chin forward, Brandon kissed her. "I believe you. But I still don't want our first time to be in the backseat of my car, and it's almost curfew. I want our first time to be good for both of us, Cal." He smiled, tracing her lips with his fingertip. "I don't think we should do it at my house. There's not enough privacy. Your house?"

She shrugged. "It would have to be when no one's home. There's no lock on my bathroom door."

He nodded. "The next time you're home alone?"

She smiled nervously. "Yeah. Okay. That sounds good."

Brandon gave her one more soft kiss. "We better head home now."

* * *

"So how was the dance, everyone?" Stef asked, as Jesus, Mariana, and Lena, who had chaperoned, came through the door."

"It was awesome," Mariana smiled. She touched the corsage pinned to her chest. "Look what Mat gave me."

"Gorgeous," Stef praised. She turned to Jesus. "And how was your night, sweetie? Did you do okay without a date?"

"Yeah," he said. "I danced with a couple girls."

"No Hayley?" Stef asked, hopeful.

"Nope," he said. "She already has a new boyfriend. I danced with Emma, though."

"That's great," she smiled. "Listen. Why don't you guys go get changed. I want to talk to Mama."

After the twins were gone, she turned to her wife. "Did everything go okay with Brandon and Callie?"

Lena nodded, hanging her jacket on the hook. "You should have seen them, Stef. They danced every dance together. And I know you're not thrilled about the way things are going, but maybe this will change your mind: Callie has never seemed happier than she did tonight."

**To Be Continued**


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12.

Callie's chance to be home alone came sooner than she expected, when Robert had taken Sophia to a horse show for the day. As soon as the were gone, she took her phone and dialed Brandon.

"Hey," he answered. "What's up?"

"Can you come over?" she asked in a hushed voice. She wasn't sure why she was whispering. "I'm home alone. Today is the day."

"You mean..." he breathed. "_The_ day?"

"Yeah," she said. "Dad and Sophia went out, and they shouldn't be back for a while. So, can you come?"

"Yes," Brandon replied. "I can be there in ten minutes?"

"Okay," she said. "See you then. Love you."

"I love you too. Bye."

Her hands shook as she ended the call. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she hurried upstairs to her room to get ready.

She cut herself shaving. A thin river of blood ran down her leg, and it hurt, but she didn't cry out. Physical pain was rarely painful enough to make her cry. She'd been hit and kicked so many times that getting hurt barely phased her; she could sort of withdraw within herself, and barely even feel it. It did occur to her that in the five years she she'd been shaving her legs, though, this was the first time she'd ever cut herself. She chalked it up to nerves.

She nearly jumped out of her skin when the doorbell rang. She took a deep breath, then hurried downstairs to answer. When she opened the door, there stood Brandon.

"Callie," he said. He frowned when he saw her pale face. "Are you okay?"

She nodded, blushing. "Yeah. I- I just cut myself shaving. I'm fine. Come on in." She led him into the house and up the stairs to her room, where she shut the door behind them.

Brandon sat down on the edge of her bed, and she sat down next to him. "I was surprised you called so soon," he told her, reaching out to touch her arm. "Are you sure you're ready for this?"

"I'm ready," she nodded, turning to look at him. "I want this, Brandon. I want to be with you."

"Come here," he said. He took her hands in his and pulled her into his lap. "Are you nervous?" he asked.

"Yeah," she confided. "Are you?"

"Yeah," he admitted.

She eyed him curiously. "What are you nervous about?"

He smiled his sweet, crooked smile. "Just... you know." His expression became more serious. "I don't want what happened between you and Wyatt to happen to us. It came between you two. I'm afraid I'll do whatever he did that scared you, and I love you too much to do that, even by accident. It's kind of a lot of pressure."

Callie nodded knowingly, playing with a button on his shirt. "The way he was doing it, it reminded me of _him_." She suddenly felt shy, talking about sex with another guy to Brandon. Especially Wyatt. "He- he laid on top of me the whole time, and it felt like he was crushing me. He wasn't gentle, he never looked me in the eye. He was just, like, slobbering all over me." She looked down at the button she held between her fingers. "I know he wasn't trying to hurt me, but it was like he was doing it _to_ me, not _with_ me." She swallowed hard, her hands shaking.

"Oh," he said. He pressed his lips to her cheek. "Honey, we really don't have to do this if you're not ready. I'd understand."

She shook her head defiantly. "No. I told you I'm ready. Please, Brandon?"

He took her chin in his hand, tilting her head up so she had to look at him. "You can trust me. I'll be gentle with you, Callie. You don't have to be afraid of me. And if you want to stop, just tell me, and we will. No questions asked." He wrapped his arms around her even tighter, pulling her into his chest, and softly kissed her forehead.

"I want this," she told him, glancing up. "I've never been more sure of anything."

Nodding, Brandon reached into his book-bag and produced two foil-wrapped condoms and bottle of lubricant. He set them on the nightstand so they would be within reach. Then, he kissed her, gently laying her down on the bed and climbing in beside her. As they kissed, he slid his hand up the back of her dress to the hook of her bra. He stroked the line of the band a few times before unhooking it.

Callie reluctantly pulled away. "Is- is it okay if I undress myself?"

"Yeah," said Brandon. "Go for it."

She stood up, and shyly shed her dress, then her panties and bra, just as she had done when they'd gone skinny-dipping. While she did so, Brandon did the same, until he was only wearing his boxer shorts. She watched him take a breath, and then pull them down. Swallowing hard, she crawled back under her sheet.

She trembled as Brandon touched her goosebump-covered skin, caressing her back, hips, breasts. But it felt good. She even dared to close her eyes for a moment, and just enjoy the feeling.

"Touch me," Brandon whispered, petting her hair.

Tentatively, she reached out, and lay her hand on his chest. It was soft and smooth. She ran her fingers down, all the way down, until she was shyly gripping him.

"Do it like this," he said, guiding her hand. He closed his eyes, biting his lip. When she finally took her hand away, he locked eyes with her, his pupils dilated. "Can I touch you now?"

She felt her chest tighten for a second, and wondered if she was in over her head. But then she looked back up at Brandon and remembered his words. She could trust him. He'd never given her reason not to. "Yes."

Brandon cupped her in his hand for a moment, then carefully spread her apart with his fingers. She opened her legs for him, just a little, and he stroked her with one finger, then two. "You okay?" he whispered.

She nodded. "It- it feels g-good."

"Is it okay if I put my finger inside you?"

"Mm-hm," she breathed.

As he kissed her, he slid one slim finger into her, and she barely felt it. Slowly, he pumped it in and out. She moaned softly, a warmth spreading over her arms and between her legs.

When it was finally time to do the deed, Brandon pulled the sheet back so she could see what he was doing, and situated himself between her thighs. "You might feel some pain at first," he warned, worry in his eyes. "You're really tight."

"I know," she said, writhing against him.

He rolled a condom over his erection, then squeezed some lube in his hand and put it on himself and inside her. Looking her in the eye, he positioned himself, then slowly began to enter her.

"It hurts, it hurts!" she cried, suddenly panicked, as she felt a strange, pinching sensation. "Get out, Brandon. Stop!"

Brandon pulled out quickly, just as shaken as she was. "Callie, are you okay?" He breathed heavily, keeping a safe distance from her, while still holding her hand.

Her vision cleared, and she began to calm down. "Actually, maybe it didn't hurt that bad." She actually missed him now that he was gone.

"Do you want to try again?" he ventured. "I was already all the way in."

Making a quick decision, and filled with so much love for him because of how patient he was being, she agreed. "Yes. I do."

He slid into her again, even slower than the first time, and it ached, but it didn't hurt. He began to move.

They made love in the silence of the big, empty house, quiet, even though they knew there was no one home to hear them. They sighed and squeezed each other's flesh instead of calling out. When it was over, Brandon pulled out of of her, tossed the spent condom in her wastebasket, and took her in his arms, stroking her back.

"You're quiet," he whispered, nibbling her earlobe. "What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing," she said, snuggling deeper into the crook of his arm.

"You can tell me," he told her softly. "Are you okay?"

She looked up at him, smiling faintly. "It wasn't really that great, was it?"

Brandon laughed, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "_I_ liked it."

"I liked feeling so close to you," she admitted. "But I didn't... you know... I didn't... _orgasm_." She blushed deeply. Brandon, on the other hand, came too soon. The actual sex part had only lasted about two minutes.

Taking her hand, Brandon kissed each fingertip. "We were both really nervous," he reminded her. "Next time, it won't feel so... clinical. Practice makes perfect, right?"

"I guess so," she said, nuzzling his chest. She looked up at him, suddenly feeling light. "And this _means_ something, Brandon. I couldn't have sex with Wyatt, but I did with you. And I'm fine. I thought I was broken, but I'm not." She smiled slightly. "I think I might even love you more than before."

"Of course you're not broken," he told her, touching his lips to the scar near her hairline. "You're perfect. And I love you more than before, too." He pulled her back into his arms and kissed her, wrapping the sheet around them.

"Oh my god!"

Callie and Brandon jerked around, startled, to see Jill standing in the bedroom doorway, holding a box of her things.

"Callie, get out of that bed." Her step-mother paused, diverting her eyes. "On second thought, don't. Just, please, get dressed."

She opened her mouth to speak. "Jill, I-"

Jill stopped her, looking every bit as uncomfortable as she was. "I don't want to know. But your father is going to hear about this."

**To Be Continued**


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13.

"Callie?" said Sophia. "What's wrong? Why are you crying?" She went to Callie's bed and laid her hand on her sister's back.

"I don't want to talk about it," Callie sniffled, without looking up from her pillow. Brandon had offered to stay and explain the situation to Robert, but she'd told him it would be better if she faced him herself. However, she'd lost her nerve when she heard her father come home, and hadn't left her room.

"You might feel better if you talk about it," Sophia told her. She sat down and swept back a strand of damp hair that was stuck to Callie's cheek. Then, she bent down to hug her, resting her chin on her shoulder.

Grateful for the comfort, Callie looked up. She noticed that Sophia was wearing the hairpins she'd given her. "Your mother humiliated me today," she said, brushing her tears away.

"Oh." Sophia looked down, uncomfortable. "Well, Dad wants to talk to you. He's in the study."

Callie sat up, hugging herself. "Did he seem mad?" The last thing she wanted was for Jill to turn what she'd seen into something dirty and shameful. She'd spent so much time hating herself because of the things Liam had done to her, even if they weren't her fault. Sex with Brandon was supposed to be a turning point, something to make her feel better about her body. She would die if her father punished her for it.

Her sister shrugged. "I don't know. I don't think so. Why? Are you in trouble?"

"I might be," she sighed. "What's he like when he's mad, like when you do something bad?"

Sophia shrugged again. "I don't get in trouble a lot. But he yells. Then he usually takes away my phone, or dessert, or something like that."

"Does he ever hit you?" She had to remember that she still didn't know Robert that well; she had no way of knowing how he'd react to what happened.

Sophia gave her a shocked look. "No! Our dad's not mean, Callie. He would _never_ hurt us. He's a pushover, actually. All you have to do is give him puppy-dog eyes." She blinked her own big, brown eyes to demonstrate. "You'd better get down there, though." She reached out to hug Callie. "Good luck."

"Thanks, Soph," Callie breathed, hugging her sister. "I'll need it."

She stood up and went downstairs, where her father was waiting. She knocked on the study door, then wiped her sweaty palms on her shorts.

"Come in."

She opened the door and approached her father. "Sophia said you wanted to talk to me?" She looked down, knowing her eyes must be puffy and bloodshot from crying so hard. So much for cute puppy-dog eyes.

Robert stood up and went to the leather couch, eying her sympathetically. "Come here, sweetie."

"Whatever Jill told you, can we just forget it ever happened?" Callie suddenly blurted out. "I'm embarrassed enough as it is."

"You don't have to be embarrassed, honey," Robert said quietly. "I just want to make sure you're okay."

"You mean I'm not in trouble?" she asked, sitting down. "But I disobeyed you."

"You _did_ disobey me by having Brandon in your room," he said, gently. "But I think you've suffered enough, so I won't punish you this once. I just ask that you don't have sex under this roof anymore, for Sophia's sake. Okay? She's still innocent, and I'd like to keep her that way for a little longer."

"Okay," said Callie, relieved. "I understand."

"You're using protection, I hope?"

"Yes," she nodded, blushing. "Of course."

"Good," he said. "I may have gray hair, but I'm not ready to be a grandfather just yet." He paused, running his fingers through his salt-and-pepper waves. He seemed unsure of what to say next. "So... I take it things are pretty serious with you and Brandon?"

"Yes" she said softly. "We love each other. Like you and mom loved each other."

"Brandon seems like a nice kid," he told her. "He treats you well?"

She nodded. "He's the sweetest guy in the world. He would do anything for me."

"This is so hard for me to talk about, as your father," Robert sighed, uncomfortably. "I don't really like to think of my daughter as being sexually active, yet. I guess I'm just old-fashioned, but I've always believed those things should be saved for marriage."

Callie looked down sadly. "I did, too, but... I didn't really have a say in the matter." As she talked, she wished she could take her words back. She wondered what her father would think of her if he knew her secret. She'd only entrusted it to a handful of people. Maybe he wouldn't love her anymore if he knew.

"What are you trying to say?" he asked, fear flashing in his light eyes. "I don't understand."

She hugged herself nervously, on the verge of tears. "Dad, there's something you should know. It's just kind of difficult to talk about. Especially to, you know, a man."

Sitting up straight, Robert gave her his full attention. "Listen, honey... I don't ever want you to feel afraid to talk to me, okay?"

"Okay," she shrugged.

"You can come to me for anything," he promised her. "Even if it's hard. I'll listen to you."

Callie nodded. She took a deep breath, trying to compose herself. Then, she spoke up, her voice wavering. "I- I was raped." Slowly, she began to tell her father about Liam. When she was finished, she finally dared meet his eyes. He was crying.

"Dad, please," she breathed. "Don't cry. I'm okay. Really."

Her father squeezed his eyes shut as a tear leaked out. "Two years ago, you were... you were just Sophia's age," he said softly. "You were just a baby." He took her in his arms and hugged her, cradling her against his shoulder. In his arms, Callie couldn't stop her own tears from falling.

Finally letting her go, Robert held her at arm's length, studying her tear-stained face. "Tell me he didn't get away with what he did, Callie. Because if he did, I'll kill him, myself."

"Stef and Lena helped me bring a trial against him," she explained, looking not into his eyes, but just past his shoulder. It was so hard to see him so upset. "I lost the case, because there wasn't enough evidence."

"We could try again," he said. "My lawyers... they would fight for you. I could have this guy investigated."

"Your money can't fix everything!" Callie suddenly said, sharper than she meant to. She immediately felt guilty. She knew he was only trying to protect her. "Dad, I'm sorry. I just... I don't want to go through that again. There's nothing we can do."

"But, Callie-," his voice shook.

"Please don't make me regret telling you," she pleaded. "I only told you because I thought it would bring us closer. But the case dug up a lot of really hard stuff for me, and I'd rather not relive it all again."

Her father was quiet for a long moment. "I understand," he finally nodded.

Callie moved closer to him and gave him a hug. "I love you, dad."

He smoothed back her hair and kissed her temple. "I love you too, baby. I love you so much."

Still leaning against him, Callie looked up. "Do we have to tell Stef and Lena about what happened today?" She knew that Stef, in particular, would have a fit if they found out that she and Brandon had slept together, and there was no point in upsetting them.

Robert shook his head. "No, I don't think so. Not if you don't want them to know." He ran his fingers through her hair one last time. "Why don't you go on upstairs, honey? And please, shut the door behind you on the way out."

She gave him a worried look on the way out. "Okay. Bye." She turned, and left the room.

* * *

Later that afternoon, Callie went downstairs to the kitchen. Sophia was sitting at the counter, her chin resting in her hand.

"Hey," she said. "Where's dad?"

"He's still in the study," Sophia replied. "I'm worried about him. Is he okay?"

Callie bit her lip, looking back down the hall, in the direction of the study. "I don't know. He was... upset... after we talked. He probably just wants to be alone."

Sophia studied her with concern. "Why? What happened."

"I'm hungry," Callie said, quickly changing the subject. "It's almost time for dinner. How about I make us something tonight?" She turned and began to rummage through the fridge.

"Something happened today, didn't it?" her sister asked. "I want to know what's going on, Callie. Tell me!"

"Okay, okay," she sighed, taking a package of hot dogs out of the freezer. Like Robert said, she was just about Sophia's age when Liam hurt her. Surely, her sister was old enough to understand, if Jude was. And she knew what it was like to be a kid, and to be left in the dark about everything. She'd been left in the dark her whole life, and frankly, it sucked. "Today, your mom walked in on me and Brandon being, um, _intimate._" She turned her attention to her cooking as she talked. "She told dad what she saw, and that's what he wanted to talk to me about. It brought up something that happened to me a few years ago, when I was a little older than you."

"What happened?" Sophia watched her with interest, her dark eyes serious.

"I was raped by an older foster brother," she confided. Her eyes stung and filled with tears as she chopped an onion on the wooden cutting board. "I think it was hard for dad to hear, and he probably needs to process it by himself."

Sophia looked down, her hair hanging in a curtain around her face. "So, that foster brother was the one who... who abused you?"

"Well, he was one of them," she admitted. "Jude and I lived in some really crappy foster homes before we were placed with Stef and Lena, and some of the parents would treat us mean. They'd beat us, or call us bad names, or even keep food from us."

"I can't even imagine that," he sister said, her eyes damp.

"You're really lucky," Callie told her. "I'm glad you've never had to go through that. I... I wouldn't want you to."

"I wish dad knew about you sooner," Sophia sighed. "He could have gotten you and Jude, and no one would have been able to hurt you."

"That would have been nice," she smiled. "It would've been fun, all of us growing up together. But nothing can change things now." She dished up their dinner, and joined her sister at the counter. "There's no point in thinking about things we can't change."

Sophia looked into her bowl, unsure. "What is this?"

"It's beanie weenie," Callie smiled, passing her a slice of bread and butter. "It was Jude's favorite when he was little. Just try it. You'll like it."

"It looks like dog food." She wrinkled her nose disgustedly.

Rolling her eyes, Callie took a bite to prove that it was good. "Mmm."

Reluctantly, Sophia stabbed a piece of hotdog with her fork and brought it to her lips. She chewed it carefully. "It's actually pretty good."

"Told you," Callie teased.

* * *

That evening, as Callie readied for bed, her phone rang. "Hello?"

"Hey, baby," Brandon said from the other line. "I just wanted to say goodnight."

"Goodnight," she said, smiling to herself.

"So, how are you?" he asked. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah," she said, nodding to no one in particular. "My dad wasn't mad. I mean, he didn't yell at me or anything. And he isn't going to tell Stef and Lena what happened."

"That's good," Brandon sighed. "I mean, there's no reason for us to be ashamed, but you know... it's a touchy subject."

"I told him about Liam," she said, drawing her knees up on the bed.

There was a heavy silence between them. "How did he take it?" Brandon finally asked.

"He cried," she said quietly. "Then, he asked to be left alone for a while."

"Callie, can I tell you something?"

"Sure," she said. "Anything."

"I think I need to tell you in person," he said. "If I drive over, will you meet me outside?"

"Yes," she agreed. "Is... is everything okay?"

"Oh, yeah," he said. "It's... I'll explain it when I see you."

* * *

Ten minutes later, Callie was sitting outside on a garden bench when she heard the bushes rustling, and Brandon appeared. She made room for him, and he sat down beside her. "So, what's going on?" she asked. "I'm worried."

"You don't have to be worried," he said, taking her hand. "But there's something I want to tell you. I just don't want you to be mad at me for not telling you sooner. I wasn't ready, until now."

She nodded soberly. "I understand that."

"It would kill me if I told you, and you ended up hating me for it. I just don't want to hurt you."

"Brandon, nothing could make me hate you," she sighed. "Whatever it is, you can tell me." It struck her then how similar the conversation they were having was to the one she'd had with Robert earlier. She certainly knew how it felt to have a painful secret, and to worry about how it would affect someone you loved. She squeezed his hand. "I love you unconditionally."

Brandon looked down into his lap, then back up at her. "Today was kind of scary for me too. And it wasn't just because I was nervous about hurting you. I was raped too."

Callie looked at him, shocked and confused. "Brandon... what?"

He shook his head. "When I was living with my dad, I was depressed one day, because I missed you. So, I was kind of wallowing, and I got drunk. Really drunk. And Dani, my dad's girlfriend came home. She took me to bed and helped me undress, and then we... we had sex." He wrung his hands together, cracking his knuckles. "My head was fuzzy, and I couldn't think clearly. I would have never let it happen if I was sober." He paused, gauging her reaction. "I'm not trying to minimize what Liam did to you, Callie. I know what happened to you was terrible. I can't even imagine the pain and fear you went through. Dani wasn't violent, she didn't hurt me. But she did take advantage of me, and I've felt a lot of guilt and shame because of it."

Sliding closer to Brandon, Callie put her arms around him. They didn't talk for a while. They just held each other.

"Are you mad at me?" he asked.

"No," she said softly. "I'm just sad that that happened to you. I wish you'd told me before."

"I wanted to," he sighed. "But I was too embarrassed. My dad didn't believe that it wasn't my fault, and telling him and moms was humiliating. And I just feel like a jerk for even comparing it to what you went through. I feel like crap, because Dani went to jail, and Liam is walking the streets."

"Brandon, that is not your fault," Callie told him. "Liam and Dani both deserve to be in jail. And maybe the circumstances were different, but that doesn't mean that what happened to you was somehow less than what happened to me. I get it... the guilt, the shame. Feeling dirty, like it's your fault. I went through all of that. Hell, I still am." She reached up and caressed his cheek. "Today was the first time you've been with someone since it happened, too. Wasn't it?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "It was."

"Today was really special to me," she confided. "It was so good to feel loved, and to do it on my terms. I feel freer than I've felt in a long time, like maybe I can start to move on now."

He nodded again. "I kind of feel the same way."

"Have you ever thought about talking to someone about what happened?" she asked. "A counselor or something? Dr. Kodema has helped me a lot."

"Mom mentioned it," he told her. "But... I don't know. Maybe I'll look into it?"

She encircled his neck with her arms. "You've got me too. You'll always have me." She pressed a chaste kiss to his lips. "We'll love each other through it."

**To Be Continued- So, I guess Robert isn't turning out to be all he seemed on the show. I really wanted him to be a decent guy. Oh well... he'll continue to be a good guy in this story.**


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14.

That night, Callie crawled into bed, tired and weary. Sophia joined her a few minutes later; they were still sharing a bed, as they had been since the night Jill left. Callie didn't voice her worry, but she could see it mirrored in her sister's brown eyes. Robert always came in to say goodnight to them. That night, he hadn't.

Sophia curled up next to Callie, and Callie hugged her close, stroking her hair. "Goodnight," she said softly. "Love you." She pressed a soft kiss on her little sister's cheek.

"Love you too," Sophia said quietly. "Goodnight."

"Callie?" she whispered moments later.

"Hmm?"

"I forgot to tell you something."

"What?"

"I get to stay here. I told my mom that I want to live with you and dad, and she said I could. I'm going to stay with her on weekends, though."

"That's great," Callie said, though a tiny part of her was jealous of her sister. Another part of her felt sorry for her father. She had visitation with Jude and the Fosters every other weekend, and now Sophia would be spending time away too. She tried to imagine Robert all alone in their huge house on the weekends both his daughters would be gone.

* * *

"Dad?" said Callie, as she entered the study the next morning. "I brought you something to eat. You missed dinner last night." It was a Friday morning, and she'd gotten up unusually early to make breakfast.

Robert looked up at her, his face drawn and sad. "Thank you, honey."

"Have you been in here all night?" she asked with concern as she set his plate down.

"No." He shook his head and gestured to the steaming cup of coffee he was holding. "I was just finishing some work."

"Can I have a cup of coffee?"

He nodded. "Go ahead, pumpkin. Help yourself."

Callie went to the coffee machine her father kept on a table in the corner of the room and poured herself a mug.

"Grab a chair while you're here," said Robert. "I want to talk to you about something important."

Setting her coffee down, she rolled a chair beside the desk and sat down. "What's wrong?"

Roberts swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing in his throat. "Callie, I've been thinking a lot about what you told me last night." He took both of her hands and squeezed them between his own. "Honestly, I didn't sleep much at all after we talked, as you can probably tell by the circles under my eyes."

"I'm sorry," Callie apologized. "I didn't mean to upset you."

"You have nothing to be sorry for," he said. "Nothing at all. I just feel so sad for you, sweetheart. I never imagined you went through something so horrible, so heartbreaking. Knowing what I do now, I don't know how I can live with myself after all I've put you through. I want to try to make it right. Especially since Sophia was given a choice about her living arrangements. I need to be fair to both of you. So-" his voice broke, but he quickly composed himself. "So, I want you to know that if you want to go back to live with the Fosters, you can."

"I don't get it," Callie said softly. "You don't want me anymore?" Her stomach sunk as she realized that she'd been biding her time, preparing for this moment, ever since she met Robert. She could finally stop holding her breath. He was just one more person rejecting her because of her past. And even though she half-expected it, it was crushing coming from her birth father.

Robert watched her with tears in his eyes, still gripping her sweaty hands. "I will always want you, Callie," he said, firmly. "You're my baby girl. I loved you from the moment I laid eyes on you. I'm doing this _because_ I love you. Do you know how hard it would be for me to see you go? But I don't want to be selfish. I just want you to be happy. That's all I've ever wanted for you." He'd never meant for things to get so ugly between himself and Stef and Lena, but the bitter custody battle had evolved just the same. And unfortunately, Callie was the victim, caught in the middle. "I'd be so happy if you decided to stay here with us, but if you don't, I'll understand."

Callie sucked in her breath, her chest aching. She felt like crying, but no tears came. "Dad... I know I wasn't happy about living here at first, but it's not like that anymore. I- I love you." She stood up and gave him a hug. He pulled her into his arms and rocked her as if she were a small child. She held onto him tighter.

"I love you too," he whispered, pressing a kiss to her cheek. "more than you could ever know. But listen. You're already spending this weekend at Stef and Lena's, so I want you to take some time to think it over. It's a big decision, and you want to make the right choice."

"I will," she breathed, still choked up.

* * *

Tears streamed down Callie's cheeks as she sat alone on the sofa in the Foster's living room. The room was dark, save for the light of a single, small lamp. It was late. Movie night was over. Everyone else had gone to bed.

"Hi, sweetie pie," said Stef, coming into the living room, tying her robe around her waist. "I didn't know you were still up. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she sighed. "I just have a lot on my mind." She turned to look up at Stef, and her eyes welled with tears. "I really need someone to talk to. Please? I mean, if you have time."

Reaching down, Stef squeezed Callie's shoulder. "I always have time for you, love. I've missed our talks." She sat down on the couch and held out her arms. "You come here, love bug."

Callie snuggled up beside her, and Stef wrapped her in her arms, pulling her legs up so they rested on hers. "I love you, you know," she said. She pressed a kiss to Callie's forehead.

"I love you too," Callie whispered.

"The other kids don't come to me much when they need to talk to someone," Stef told her quietly. "They usually go to mama first, and that makes me sad sometimes. But you... you've always come to me. I want you to know how much that means to me. It makes me feel needed around here."

Resting her head against Stef, Callie burst into tears.

"Hey, hey," Stef soothed, rubbing her back. "What's the matter? Tell me about it."

Callie shook her head. "You're going to hate me."

"Nothing could make me hate you," she promised, stroking her hair. "How could anyone hate you, slug-a-bug?" She pulled Callie closer and gave her another kiss. "Please just tell me what's bothering you. Please?"

She took a wavering breath. "My dad told me I can come back to live her." She paused, unsure. "He wasn't being manipulative or anything. I told him about Liam, and some of the things that happened to me, and he said he felt really bad about it. He apologized for taking me away from you guys and forcing me to live with him. He said he was wrong, and he wants to make it right."

"That's wonderful, Callie," Stef breathed, taken aback. "That's what we wanted." For a moment, she entertained the thought of having her sweet girl back in her home. She would take her Callie back in a heartbeat. However, the look on her foster daughter's face told her that she was torn about the decision.

"But I don't know if it's what I want anymore," Callie said, choking on her tears. "I love you guys so much, but I love him and Sophia too, now. I don't know if I can leave them."

Stef's heart ached. Callie's face, blotchy and streaked with tears, was the saddest thing she'd ever seen. Callie had a way of crying that was heartbreaking. Her tears came straight from her heart. "Baby," she sighed, drying her cheeks. "Honey, it's okay." She rubbed her back, trying to comfort her. "Don't cry."

"I do miss living with you guys," she sniffled. "But I don't know if I want to uproot my life again. My dad is a part of me, and Sophia is too. She needs me so much, and Brandon and I are so happy together."

"Sweetie, it's okay," Stef whispered again. "You know that no matter where you live, you'll always be my baby, right?"

"You and Lena fought for me so hard," she sobbed. "You spent so much money on lawyers, and it was all for nothing. Now I'm allowed to come back. I should want to!"

"You will _always_ be my baby," Stef repeated. "Always, Callie. This is such a hard choice for you to have to make. But I don't want you to worry about hurting us by choosing your father. Nothing would ever change my love for you, and I know mama would say the same thing. You still love _us_ even though you don't live with us, don't you?"

"Yes," Callie hiccuped, nodding. "Of course I do."

"See?" she replied. "We're still a family. I can't help but think of the time Mariana said that families have to live together. Do you remember that?"

"Yeah."

"Well, that's not true," Stef told her. "A family's love is like an invisible thread. Our hearts are all connected by that thread, no matter where we go, and it can never be broken." She pressed a kiss to the teenager's wet cheek. "I love you, baby girl. And I don't want you to be sad, okay? Whatever you decide, we're behind you. One-hundred percent."

"Thanks," Callie smiled. She gave Stef a hug, yawning.

"Do you feel better now?"

"A little," she admitted.

Stef gave her one last kiss. "Go on to bed now, honey. Get some sleep."

**To Be Continued**


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15.

Robert flipped through the previous day's mail quickly, pausing when his eyes rested on a postcard from the club.

He didn't know why he still paid his membership. The beach club was his parents' place. Yet, year after year, he sent a check. The postcard was an invitation to the club's annual beach barbecue, an event that held bittersweet memories for him.

The doorbell rang. Quickly, he dropped the card into the wastebasket, along with the rest of the junk mail, and went to answer. He saw Brandon standing on the other side of the glass door, hands in his pockets, before he reached it. His first thought was worry, that something had happened to Callie. But it seemed more likely that Stef or Lena would call, rather than send Brandon over.

"Hey," he said, greeting Brandon with a handshake.

"Hi, Sir," Brandon smiled. "Can I come in?"

Robert stepped aside. "Sure. Come on in, son. Where's Callie? Is something wrong?"

"Everything's fine," Brandon promised. "She went out to lunch with moms and Jude."

"Is there something I can do for you?" Robert asked.

"I actually wanted to talk to you," Brandon confided. "Do you have a minute?"

"I have nothing but time," Robert laughed. "Without my girls here, I have nothing to do but putter around the house." He patted Brandon on the back. "Come on in the den."

He led Brandon into the other room and offered him a soda. Then, he settled into his favorite chair. "What's on your mind?"

Brandon toyed with a small object as he looked up. He'd been embarrassed to face Callie's father since Jill had caught him and Callie in bed. He blushed a little thinking about it. Then, he took a deep breath and began to speak. "I love Callie," he said. "She means everything to me, and I want to give her something tangible to show how much I care. I've been saving the money I make playing with my band, and I was able to buy her this." He opened his sweaty palm to reveal a small jewelry box. He opened it, to show Mr. Quinn the ring that rested inside.

"It's a promise ring," he explained. "I'm ready to take our relationship to the next level, and I don't want her to have a doubt about how I feel about her." He paused nervously. "But I wouldn't feel right giving it to her unless I have your permission."

Robert rubbed his chin thoughtfully, then ran his fingers through his hair. "You've put a lot of thought into this, son."

Brandon nodded. "Callie is always on my mind."

"I think she'll love the ring," he smiled. "You must have worked very hard for it. Just... don't take my little girl away yet," he added with a wink. His heart ached as he remembered that Callie hadn't even decided whether she would stay with him yet. It hurt to think of losing her.

"Don't worry," Brandon assured him. "I'm not ready for that step. Not for a long time, anyway."

Robert chuckled. "You have a good head on your shoulders, son. Wait until you're both mature enough. Settled, independent." _Don't make the same mistakes I did_, he silently added. "You're good for Callie, though. That much is clear. Her eyes just light up when she talks about you."

"I don't know how to give it to her, though," Brandon fretted. "I've been waiting for the right moment. I want it to be romantic. But I don't get much time alone with her at home. There's too much going on."

Listening to Brandon, Robert recalled the postcard from the club. "Wait right here."

He grabbed the card from the trash and brought it back to the den. "You and Callie should go to this," he said, giving the card to Brandon. "She's never been to the beach club. It's actually the place where I met her mama."

Brandon studied the card, and suddenly, the love letters Colleen had written came back to him. "Hey... isn't this the club where you proposed to Callie's mom?"

"Yeah," Robert nodded, smiling sadly. "I don't know if it's still standing, but there was a boathouse near the water. We'd go there, to hide from my parents and her boss." He laughed at the memory. "That's where I popped the question. Next day, we were on our way to one of those wedding chapels." He sighed. "Either way, the barbecue is a fun time."

"Thanks for the tip," said Brandon. "I'll ask Callie to go." He tucked the card in his pocket and stood up. "I really have to get going now, sir. But it was nice talking to you."

Robert patted Brandon on the back. "Sure. Come back soon. Don't be a stranger."

"I won't," Brandon promised. "Bye."

* * *

As Stef pulled into the Quinns' driveway, Callie turned to her. "Stef?"

"What baby?"

"You know I'm not choosing between you guys and my dad, right? That this is just something I need to do for myself?"

"I do know," Stef nodded. "Or at least, I'm getting used to the idea."

"Good," said Callie. "Because you and Lena will always be my moms. I have two families. Period."

Stef reached over and squeezed Callie's hand. "I'm glad to hear you say that, love. I don't ever want to lose the relationship you and I have. You're so precious to me."

Callie smiled. "We won't. I still need you in my life. I always will. And I'll still visit every weekend. And someday, I'll pay you guys back every penny of what you spent on lawyer's fees because of me."

Stef laughed, pulling her foster daughter into a hug. "Sweetheart, don't worry about the money. You don't owe us anything. Don't be silly."

"It kind of felt good, having so many people fight for me," she confided. "You know, feeling wanted for once." The other foster families couldn't seem to get rid of her fast enough.

"You have a lot of people who love you," Stef told her. She unlocked the door. "Shall we go in?"

Callie nodded, and followed Stef to her father's door, ringing the bell. Once Robert let her in, she turned and hugged Stef. "Bye."

"Bye, love," Stef said, kissing her goodbye. "See you next weekend?"

"Or sooner," Callie assured her. She pecked Stef on the cheek. "I love you."

"Love you too," said Stef, giving her one more hug before leaving.

Once she was gone, Callie turned to her father, and threw her arms around him, hugging him tight.

"What's this for?" he laughed, hugging her back. His daughter was usually so reserved.

"I missed you this weekend," she admitted, her eyes welling with tears.

"I missed you too, honey," he said.

"Don't let go yet," Callie pleaded, resting her chin on his shoulder.

"Honey, are you okay?" Robert asked. He looked down at her face and frowned. "You're crying, baby."

"Daddy, I'm staying," she sniffled. "I can't leave you and Sophia. I love you."

"Reaching out, Robert brushed away her tears. "Are you sure?"

She nodded. "I'm sure." She let him take her back in his arms.

Robert guided her to the couch. "Here. Don't cry, now, sweetie. It's okay."

"There are some things I wanted to ask you about, though."

"What is it?"

"I still need to visit the Fosters on the weekends," she told him. "They're still family to me. And... school is almost over, but next year, I want to go back to Anchor Beach. I want to see more of Jude and Mariana, and I want to graduate with Brandon next year."

"All reasonable requests," Robert nodded. "You're free to visit the Fosters any time you want. You know that. On that note, if you're going to be visiting them often and going back to your old school, we'll have to look into getting you that car Jude asked me about." He laughed. "How would you like me to teach you to drive?"

Callie's eyes widened. "I'd love that!" She'd never had the chance to learn, since she'd spent her sixteenth birthday in juvie. "Thanks, dad."

He pulled her back into his arm and kissed the top of her head. "You're welcome, honey."

**To be Continued**


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16.

The morning of the beach barbecue, Callie awoke tired and nervous. But she got up anyway and looked out the window. It was a sunny, cloudless day. She found the yellow bikini Stef had bought her in her dresser. She put it on, and over it, she layered a pair of denim shorts and a gauzy white cover-up. She was tying her hair into a loose ponytail when her dad knocked on the door. She went to answer it.

"Honey, Brandon's here," Robert said. "Are you ready to go?'

Callie went to her bedroom door and opened it. "I'm kind of having second thoughts about going," she admitted.

"Why?" her father asked, frowning with concern. "Do you feel alright?"

"Yeah," she said. "It's just... I'll feel out of place with all those rich people." She thought about the scene between her and Robert at the Girls United fundraiser. A lot of people knew about it, and at least some of them were sure to be at the barbecue. She always pretended not to care what other people thought, but how could she not be uncomfortable knowing her father's friends were gossiping about her.

"Hey," said Robert, reaching out to hug her. "I know how it can be, but those people aren't any better than you. Just remember that and have fun."

"Easier said than done," Callie laughed.

"I think you should go," Robert told her. "Brandon's looking forward to it. Go on downstairs, now. It's impolite to keep him waiting."

"Okay," she sighed, grabbing her bag.

She and Robert met Brandon in the doorway. Callie greeted him with a kiss. "You ready to go?" he asked.

"Yeah," she nodded. She turned to her father. "Bye, dad." She quickly pecked him on the cheek. "Love you."

"Love you too, sweetheart," he said, giving her one more hug. "Have fun."

"I will," she promised before following Brandon out the door.

* * *

The beach club was sprawling and chic. There was a deck where people could swim in a turquoise pool or just relax, eating or sipping drinks from the full bar. The scent of hotdogs, hamburgers, and chicken wafted over from the grill, and Callie's stomach growled. On the other side of a low boardwalk, there was a golf course, and various tennis and beach volleyball courts.

Brandon whistled appreciatively. "Fancy."

Callie showed the bouncer, for lack of a better word, her father's membership card, and he let them in. She looked around awkwardly, not sure what to do or where to go.

"We should get a couples massage," Brandon playfully suggested, pointing to a sign near an open spa that sat farther down on the beach.

"I don't know," Callie said, hugging herself. "Maybe later?" The idea of getting a massage out in the open where anyone who walked by could see made her self-conscious, though she was trying not to be a wet blanket.

"Well, what do you want to do first?" Brandon asked, taking her hand.

"I don't know," she shrugged. It was too early to eat. "We could go down to the beach?"

He nodded. "Cool."

The beach was dotted with bright colored umbrellas. They found an unclaimed one and spread out their beach blanket. They sat down side by side, and Callie shed her cover-up and took a bottle of sunblock out of her beach bag and began applying it to her arms and face.

"Here. Let me get your back," Brandon offered with a wink. "I'll do you if you do me."

"Deal," she laughed.

Brandon sat behind her and she felt him rub the coconut-scented lotion on her skin, his hands moving up and down her bare skin in sensual strokes. She felt her tense shoulders relax under his touch, and her skin tingle. Who needed a massage? This was perfect. She closed her eyes as he caressed her hips, and sighed appreciatively.

"Enjoying yourself?" Brandon asked softly. He pressed his lips to the back of her head, near her ear, and she got goose bumps.

"Too much," she mumbled. When she turned around, he reached out and dotted her nose with sunblock. "You missed a spot," he teased, before stealing another kiss, this time on the lips.

Callie took the sunblock from him. "Your turn." She stood on her knees behind him and massaged lotion into his muscular back. His skin was sun-warmed, baby-soft and flawless. Every inch of him was gorgeous. She could feel her heart beating fast in her chest. Her pulse always sped up when she was so close to him.

"You're thorough," he suddenly said, and she snapped back to reality.

"Huh?"

"You've gone over my back three times," he laughed.

How long had she been daydreaming? "Sorry," she said. "I was just... thinking."

Smiling, he took her in his arms and pulled her down on the beach blanket. "Not complaining." He kissed her tenderly, holding her in the shade of the umbrella.

* * *

When they were ready to eat, they went to the deck and served themselves burgers, salads, and potato chips, and found a shaded table that wasn't already taken.

"You know," said Brandon, rubbing his sandy feet up Callie's ankles. "This is the place where your parents met."

"It is, isn't it?" she realized, swallowing a bite of her burger. She looked around. "Maybe they sat at this same table?". She reached out to touch his hand, starting to loosen up.

She turned when she heard someone call her name. She saw Jill coming toward them, dressed in crisp golf attire, carrying a plate of food. "Callie, I thought that was you," she said, sitting down. "Are Robert and Sophia here too?"

"No," she said, wiping her mouth on a napkin. "Just me and Brandon."

Brandon suddenly hopped up. "We forgot to get drinks. I'll just go grab us some." He turned and walked away.

"I guess he's still kind of embarrassed around me," Jill said quietly. "You know, after..."

"Sex-gate?" Callie put in.

"Yes," Jill laughed. "Callie, I do apologize for that. "I may have overreacted. I hope Robert wasn't too hard on you."

"It's okay," she assured her. "It actually brought up some things we needed to get out in the open. No hard feelings?"

"Of course not," The older woman smiled. She tucked her short hair behind her ear. "You know, I wish I'd gotten a chance to know you better, Callie. I just had so much going on when you came to us. My marriage was falling apart, Sophia was having issues. I'm sorry if I came off as unfriendly."

"Don't worry about it," said Callie. "I understand."

Jill's blue eyes sparkled. "I know you don't need another mom, but we could've at least been friends."

"Couldn't we still be friends?" she asked. "I mean, if you want to?" She was never sure how she felt about Jill, and after sex-gate, she thought she hated her. But today, Jill seemed happier than she'd ever been. And she _was_ Sophia's mom. Callie had never been one to hold a grudge.

"Sure," her step-mother smiled. "Maybe you would like to go shopping or to the movies with Sophia and I sometime? We could have a girls' day."

"That sounds fun," Callie agreed. She used to have girls' days with her mom when she was a kid. They would leave Jude home with Donald and go out to lunch or the movies. Her eyes teared up at the memory.

Jill took a dainty sip of her cocktail, twirling the little paper umbrella. "We'll set something up soon."

"I'd like that," she said, as Brandon returned with cold drinks.

* * *

While everyone was finishing up their meal, a man in a bright white polo shirt announced that a golf tournament was to begin in fifteen minutes. Players should check in immediately, and spectators should be at the green in ten minutes.

"Oh. I've got to run," said Jill. "I'm competing. Do you guys want to head down and watch?"

Callie was about to agree, for the sake of politeness, even though golf bored her, but Brandon quickly jumped in. "Maybe we'll catch up with you a little later?"

"Well, I'm going to head down," she told them. "See you around." she threw away her garbage and headed toward the gold course.

Once she was gone, Brandon let out a small sigh. "Finally. Some time alone."

"Brandon..."

He smiled and reached across the table to take her hand in his. "Let's go for a walk. There's something I want to show you." He helped her to her feet, and still holding her hand, led her in the opposite direction from the golf course, toward the water.

They walked along the shore, the foamy waves lapping at their feet. Callie stopped to pick up a pink seashell, tucking it in her pocket. She was scanning the sand for other objects when Brandon suddenly stopped. He jogged toward a long, whitewashed building that met the ocean at one end. "Over here," he called to her.

Callie shielded her eyes from the sun and went toward him, carrying her sandals in one hand. "What is this?" she asked Brandon, who was already opening the door.

"A boathouse," he told her.

The scent of saltwater met Callie as she stepped into the cool, damp building. She felt a shiver go up her spine. Boathouse. Suddenly, a line from one of her mom's letters came back to her. "It isn't?" she asked, her eyes wide.

"It is," Brandon said, pulling her into her arms. "This is where your dad asked your mom to marry him. It was their place." He pulled a woven chaise from a corner and lounged on it, gesturing for her to join him. "And I can see why they liked it here. Total privacy."

Settling in next to Brandon, Callie looked around. The boathouse held a speedboat and some canoes, which were hanging against a far wall. The rest of the building was occupied by beach chairs and folded umbrellas. "I guess they use it for storage now."

Brandon leaned in, and trailed wet kissed down her neck. "I love you, you know."

"I love you too," she said, craning her neck so his lips could explore further.

"I brought you here because I have something for you," he told her. He maneuvered his hand into his pocket and took out a small jewelry box. "I had this whole idea to bring you here and recreate your parents' date," he explained. "It seemed like a good moment to give you this." He opened the box and held it out to her.

Callie looked down at the pearl and silver ring, at a loss for words.

"Don't worry," Brandon chuckled. "It's not an engagement ring. It's a promise ring."

"It's so pretty," she breathed. "I don't know what to say."

"Say you'll wear it?" he pleaded. "It's my promise to you. It symbolizes my commitment to our relationship. Your dad said first loves can't always last. But we'll last. I know we will."

"I'd love to wear it," she said, holding out her hand so he could slip it on. "Thank you." It fit perfectly. Afterward, she grasped his hand, caressing it. She was overwhelmed with emotions, knowing the significance of the boathouse and Brandon's gift "We have a lot in common with my mom and dad," she told him. "But we're not them, you know? History doesn't have to repeat itself."

He nodded. "We won't make the mistakes they made. We've been through too much just to be together. I'll never take that for granted. You mean everything to me."

"You mean everything to me too," she said, resting her head against his shoulder. "And I'll never take this ring off." She clasped her hand lovingly around it. "It's the most beautiful thing anyone has ever given me."

Brandon leaned down to kiss her, cupping her cheek in his hand. She wrapped her arms around him, pulling him closer, closing the space between them in the solitude of the boathouse.

**To Be Continued**


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17.

Callie sleepily snuggled closer to Brandon on the small chaise, and pressed her lips to his sweaty skin. Her heart still raced in her chest even though she was perfectly relaxed. Her second time making love to him was markedly better than the first. She told him this, and he laughed.

"I told you it gets better," he said, leaning in to kiss her. "Especially since there were no interruptions this time." Everyone at the beach club was either watching or competing in different sporting events. Apart from the distant cheering from the crowds, the boathouse was perfectly quiet and peaceful.

"I love you," Callie whispered, running her fingers through his hair. She could still feel his touch on her sensitive skin, everywhere he'd caressed her. This time, they'd both let go. Brandon had given her his whole heart, and she'd given him hers.

"I love you too," he said, grabbing her hand and kissing it. He ran his thumb over the promise ring that sparkled on her finger. "Are you okay, though?" he asked. "You weren't scared?"

She shook her head. "No. Well, a little at first." She had a feeling her fears wouldn't go away any time soon. "But it was still perfect." She pressed her forehead to his shoulder, soaking in the coziness of the boathouse and the tang of the ocean air mixed with the scent of sex. "I'm so happy. I wish it could stay like this forever."

"It can," he promised, brushing his fingers down the side of her breast. "It will always be you and me, together. We're gonna get married, and buy our own house near the beach. White, with shutters."

Callie nodded. Life was always changing. There was no way to predict what would happen ten years, or even ten minutes from now. Maybe seventeen years ago, her parents had sat in the very same place, planning a beautiful future together, just like they were now. What would they say if they found out their future would look nothing like they had planned? But, like she had said, they weren't her parents. Maybe Callie and Brandon would have the life they dreamed of? It was fun to imagine. She looked down at her ring and smiled. "I want a big family," she told him, looking up at the rough hewn ceiling.

"Me too," he replied. "I think five is a good number," he added with a wink. "A girl first."

"We'll name her after my mother," Callie put in, wondering if Colleen could hear her, wherever she was. When she was a little girl, she'd promised herself she'd name her first daughter after her mom.

Brandon softly kissed her temple. "I'll teach her piano and spoil her rotten. It'll be great."

"And she'll have two grandmas and two grandpas who adore her," Callie said, thinking of Stef, Lena, Robert, and Mike. "And lots of aunts and uncles." She rolled over on her side, and picked up her swimsuit from the floor. "But first, we have to get through now." Slowly, she began to get dressed, sorry the moment was ending. But it was getting late, and they had to get home.

As she pulled her cover-up over her head, Brandon took her in his arms. "Now is pretty perfect too. Every day I get to spend with you is perfect." He leaned in and kissed her lips.

"Come on," she said with a smile as they parted. "We'd better get home. I have to get ready to go to moms' tonight."

* * *

When they pulled up in the Quinns' driveway, the first thing Callie and Brandon saw was a Toyota parked next to her father's car.

"What are moms doing here?" Brandon asked.

Callie looked to him, nervous kind of worry seeping into her. "You don't think they know-?"

"Know what?" he looked at her questioningly.

"That we had sex," she said, knowing how silly it sounded, even as she said it.

"They can't know," Brandon assured her, squeezing her shoulder. "How could they? We better get inside."

Callie unlocked the front door, and they let themselves in. When they walked into the sitting room, they saw Stef, Lena, Robert, and Sophia sitting around the coffee table, drinking iced tea and eating cookies.

"Hi, baby," said Stef. She held her arms out, and Callie went to kiss her, then Lena. Every time they saw each other, it was as if they hadn't seen each other in years. Even if they'd just seen each other a few days earlier.

"Did you kids have fun?" Robert asked.

Callie looked to Brandon, blushing slightly. "Yeah. We had a great time." She paused. "What's going on?"

"Stef and Lena needed to pick you up a little early for this weekend," Robert explained. "I invited them in because there was something I needed to tell them, and think you should hear it too, honey, so why don't you have a seat?"

Callie sat down between Brandon and Stef, as her dad set down his glass and cleared his throat. "Ladies, I want to apologize for the way I've acted during this whole custody business," he began, regret in his eyes and his voice. "I was awful. And unfortunately, the person who suffered the most was Callie. I'm ashamed of myself. I became someone I never wanted to be. My father."

"We weren't always great either," Stef cut in, thinking of her actions more than Lena's. "You're not the only one."

"I just love Callie so much," Robert sighed. "I didn't think too much about the fact that you might love her too. And even though she's going to continue living here, I don't want to keep her from you. She's going to need strong women in her life. She's going to need her moms."

"Thank you, Robert," said Lena. "That means a lot to us. We love Callie dearly."

"And I love you guys," Callie told her moms, pressing her cheek to Stef's shoulder. She looked to Robert, giving him a silent thanks.

"I think we should keep our current arrangement," Robert went on. "If it's okay with you, she can continue spending weekends with you. And maybe a few weeks this Summer? I know she'll probably be at your place more often than that, because of Brandon."

"Callie is always welcome," Stef assured him. "Any time she wants. We love having her."

"Is that arrangement okay with you, honey?" Robert asked his daughter.

"It's great," she smiled. "It's perfect."

"Again, I'm so sorry," Robert told Stef and Lena. "I hope you can forgive me."

Stef and Lena gave each other a long look, communicating with their eyes, as they had a way of doing. "I think we've already forgiven you," Stef finally said. "I don't know that I wouldn't have done the same thing if I were in your place. Callie is an amazing girl. Anyone would want to know her."

Lena nodded in agreement, then wiped her mouth with a napkin and stood up. "Well, I think we'd better get going. What do you say, honey?"

"Let me grab my bag," Callie said, running upstairs. When she returned, she said her goodbyes to her dad and sister. "See you Sunday!" she called, as she followed her moms and Brandon outside.

"I can drive Callie home," Brandon said, gesturing to his car. "We can follow you guys."

"Yeah," said Callie, with a nod. "Sounds good to me."

"Oh, alright," said Stef, smiling. She turned to her wife, jokingly sad. "What are we gonna do, Lena? We're losing her!"

Callie bit back a grin, and went to hug Stef, looking her in the eye. "You'll never lose me. And that's a promise."

**The End- Thanks for reading!**


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